


The Belittled Soul

by orphan_account



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Cannon, Kind of cannon but timeline of events is different and some events occur differently, M/M, Magic, Magic!Stiles, Slow Build, you'll understand when you read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-18
Updated: 2013-09-08
Packaged: 2017-12-23 22:10:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 37,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/931633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is underestimated by everyone. Even the people who give him credit have no idea what he's capable of or how important he is. Neither does he actually. But all it takes is meeting a certain grumpy werewolf to set of a chain reaction of events for him to discover his potential.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Curiosity Called The Wolf

**Author's Note:**

> This is unbeta'd so sorry if there's any mistakes
> 
> And please leave comments I love hearing feedback
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf or any of it's characters all credit for that goes to Jeff Davis

Stiles slouches in his desk chair tapping a pen restlessly against the paper in front of him. “10 years, how will Lydia fall in love with me over 10 years?” He ran a hand over his short scruff of brown hair.  He bolts up right as an idea surges through him, “I become the star of the lacrosse team and she’ll admire my amazing sports skills!”

The front door closes downstairs alerting Stiles that his dad is home. He rushes downstairs to greet him. “Hey dad,” he smiles cheerily at his father, “anything interesting happen at work?”

His dad sighs and has that look in his eye like he’s still trying to figure something out, “A body was found in the woods,” his voice is grim with the news, “it was half of a body actually, a girl, we’re still looking for the other half so we can identify her.”

Stiles tries not to look excited at the news, because yeah a murder is horrible but nothing ever happens in this town so it’s pretty awesome too. Maybe he can solve the case and get a medal or something and impress Lydia. “That’s awful, good luck finding the sick-o.”

He bolts upstairs and grabs the keys to his jeep, his hands shaking in anticipation. He checks the time quickly, 10:30, enough time to go for a quick look around and get back home in time for some sleep. Scott could help him with this too. He sneaks back down the stairs and slips out the backdoor. He gets into his jeep and winces as the engine roars to life.

He parks just down the road from Scott’s house. Stiles stares up at his friend’s house wondering how the hell he can get up to his second story window. He scans the yard for something to help him climb up onto the balcony. He spots the tall tree hanging over the balcony just beckoning Stiles to climb it. He scrambles over to the tree and leaps up to cling on to the lowest branch. His long limbs flailing awkwardly, by some fluke he makes it to the top of the tree and probably woke up half the neighbourhood doing so.

He wraps his legs around a branch and swoops upside down. A figure with a baseball bat is ready to hit him and Stiles lets out the most unmanly scream he can muster. He spins arms around trying in a hopeless act to defend himself when a laugh makes him stop abruptly. He glares at Scott who is bent over laughing still clutching the offending baseball bat. Stiles legs unlatch from the tree and he lands on his back on the balcony.

He rights himself and brushes off his jeans, “Very funny Scott, but we’ll see how you like it when you’re the one being threatened upside down,” he glances at the bat, “why the hell do you even own a baseball bat?”

 Scott calms down and shrugs. “Why are you here Stiles? We have school tomorrow and I want to good in the lacrosse try outs.”

 Stiles was aware that he had a point, considering he also wanted to do well on the try outs, but this was just too good an opportunity to pass up. “They found a body in the woods!”

 Scott perked up at that, “A dead body?”

 Stiles rolled his eyes, “No a live body and we should all be afraid because it’s an unknown phenomenon, yes a dead body!”

#

Stiles keeps the torch light trained on the ground as they amble through the dark woods. Every step they take leaves behind the sound of snapping twigs and ruffling leaves. “These woods are a lot creepier at night.” Scott states as he glances around.

“I like to think it’s the highlight of Beacon Hills.” Stiles smirks because really what else is there to see in this town.

They reach a hill, so Stiles puts the torch in his mouth and drops into a crawling position. He stealthily scrambles up the hill, Scott following behind.

“Wait up!” Scott calls out as he stops to take a puff of his inhaler.

Stiles peers over his shoulder to check on his friend, he loses his footing and falls forwards over the other side of the hill. Twigs and leaves get caught up in his red hoodie as he tumbles to the ground. His body lightly rolls into a tree and stops him from moving any further. He groans and pushes himself up from the ground into a sitting position. He regains his bearings, and stops breathing when he sees what he landed next to. A dead body, The Dead Body, he laughs. He laughs a shaky scared laugh because he did it! He found the body, he will be famous and Lydia will love him.

Scott appears at the top of the hill panting, he jogs down to where Stiles is doing a little happy dance. “Dude we found it!” He grins at Scott who looks slightly nauseous.

“Now I’ll get a medal or something and Lydia will fall in love with me and everything will be perfect!” Who grips Scott’s shoulders and shakes them with glee.

Scott frowns, “Dude you haven’t heard?”

Stiles stops abruptly, a sudden wave of dread filling him, “Haven’t heard what?”

Scott looks like a kicked puppy, “Lydia is with Jackson Whittmore, they’re like an item now.”

Stiles sighs, he’s been used to rejection for a few years now so this doesn’t surprise him. “Looks like my 10 year plan to win Lydia’s heart may have to extend to 15.” He laughs and turns back to the top half of the dead body.

Stiles takes a good look at what’s before him. It’s the top half of a dead girl. She has long dark mangled hair and her eyes are obviously dead and lifeless, caked bits of mud scatter her sides and blood is dried in wounds on her arms. Stiles frowns, it would’ve taken a lot of effort to cut through the whole torso of someone, and why does this girl look so familiar?

“Omg, dude, this is Laura Hale!” Stiles announces turning to Scott who looks more confused than usual. He sighs and give his oblivious friend a pointed look, “The Hales? Lived in a big house in the woods, huge family, burned alive, ring any bells?”

Scott just stands there mouth agape. “She was one of the few people who weren’t home when the house caught fire. The only survivors were her, Derek, Cora and Peter who is currently in hospital with severe burns.” He gazes around the eerie forest, “Cora moved away immediately, and Laura and Derek left together, so if Laura is here, where’s Derek?”

Scott lets out a puff of air, “I don’t know, maybe he didn’t come back? Dude it’s a school night, and I’m no detective. Derek could be in Antarctica for all I care.”

“Fine I’ll drive you home, but there’s something not right about all this.” Stiles huffs and starts walking back to the jeep.

Scott follows him, “Stiles there’s a girl dead, of course there’s something not right about this.”

He smirks, “That’s not what I mean.”

#

The next day in class Stiles is sitting at his desk behind Scott, his feet tapping nervously. It’s the first day back and he already couldn’t care less about whatever lesson he was about to learn. Just as he goes to complain to Scott about being in school the classroom door opens and the principal walks in with a girl. Scott perks up in front of him.

“Class, this is Allison Argent, you’ll make her feel welcome to Beacon Hills.” The principal informs them then swiftly leaves the room in his all important manner.

Allison has dark wavy brown hair and brown eyes, and apparently all of Scott’s attention. She sits down at the desk in front of Scott and starts rummaging through her bag. “Crap, I forgot a pen.” She mutters. Scott almost tips over his desk as he hurriedly gets out a spare pen. Stiles rolls his eyes as Scott passes her the pen with the biggest grin on his face.

Stiles is about to zone out when the teacher says something that catches his interest. “As you have probably heard there was a body found in the woods last night, now I’m sure your over imaginative minds are busy making up delightfully macabre stories, but you’re in class now and your  full attention must be on the lesson,” and with that Stiles zones out for the rest of the day. He doesn’t really need to pay full attention anyway, all he needs is the main topic of each lesson and his homework, after that everything else is rather redundant.

At lunchtime are lacrosse try-outs. Stiles and Scott get changed in the locker room and head out onto the field with a bunch of other guys. He starts to feel a bit intimidated by all the toned muscles and athletic stances surrounding him. If he’s lucky his quick thinking and logic will get him somewhere.

Try outs star with Scott in goal, and it turns out he isn’t half bad, maybe it’s just his natural instinct to defend himself when a ball is flying at him. Unfortunately it doesn’t go so well for Stiles. It’s not his fault the odds are against him. It’s not like he’s terrible it’s just that everyone around him is better, except for Greenberg. No one is worse than Greenberg.

Try outs end with Stiles dealing with full body pain, disgustingly sweaty and being the designated bench warmer for the year. He’d say he’s disappointed, but really he didn’t expect to do better than everyone around him. But it does unfortunately now mean that all his hopes with Lydia are dwindling down to nothing. But he is slightly envious of Scott who at least made it to being a defender because as Coach Finstock had put it “You’re the best of the worst we have.”

#

            Stiles ignores the rest of the day and gets home as fast as he can. He sprints up the stairs and dumps his bag by his desk. Flopping down in his desk chair he opens up his laptop and starts researching the Hale family. He remembers bits and pieces from when his dad was investigating the fire. His dad was only the deputy then but he still got access to as much information as he does now.

Everything that the internet tells him he already knows. Suspected arson, no one ever convicted for it. But there is something that nags at him. All the pictures of the Hales, there’s these strange camera flares in every picture, always over the eyes. He opens another tab and searches up all possible causes of camera flares. None of the answers fit the situation, and he eventually ends up going through conspiracy theorist blogs and supernatural sites. One website says ‘ _if when you take a picture of someone and a camera flare appears over their eyes it is a sign of the beast that lies within_.’

The sound of footsteps behind him scares the shit out of him. He jumps to his feet and spins around to be faced with a man. The man before him is eyeing him suspiciously like he isn’t the one trespassing. His hair is dark and his hazel eyes vary between danger and mystery. He looks like a stereotypical bad-boy with his stubble and leather jacket. Stiles mind is running a mile a minute and it makes all the connections so fast he thinks his brain might just implode. This scarily handsome man in his bedroom is Derek Hale.

“What are you doing?” Derek asks him, stepping closer as if to intimidate him.

Stiles splutters and laughs nervously, “You’re the one trespassing in a teenage boy’s room I don’t think you should be the one asking questions.”

Derek scowls at him, “You’re looking into my family’s history.”

Stiles scratches his head nervously, “Well yeah, your sister died recently , and I’m assuming you know that since you’re here, and well it seemed suspicious to me with the fire and all not to mention being chopped in half. Also what is it with the camera flares on all your family photos?”

Derek gets right up in his personal space and wow Stiles never realised how scary eye contact could be. “How do you know about my family?”

 “Well I am the sheriff’s to-curious-for-his-own-good son. Also I notice things and when I want to know things I don’t stop until I know them.” Stiles could’ve sworn that for a brief second Derek looked faintly worried by this.

“Stop looking.”

Stiles is beginning to learn that Derek says as little as possible. “Why? Also how did you get into my room in the first place I mean the front door is locked so?”

Derek sighs in frustration, “Stay out of it, it’s for your own good okay. And I climbed in the window.”

His jaw drops, “That is a second story window!”

Derek looked about ready to strangle him just so that he wouldn’t have to deal with this anymore. “You’ll probably figure it out eventually and it’s better if you know now so I can make sure you don’t tell anyone. Ever.”

Okay that didn’t even make sense. What could he possibly tell him that would require such dire secrecy? Derek takes a step back and his eyes, they glow blue like electric blue. He opens his mouth like he’s preparing to roar and fangs extend from the bottom and top of his mouth. He holds out his hands and claws grow out over the top of his fingernails.

Stiles stumbles back and falls back into his chair. What the hell! Derek was scary enough, now he has fangs and claws too! Great now he knows that Derek actually could kill him if he wanted to. He’s breathing too fast and his heart is beating 3 times faster than usual, but he still isn’t having a panic attack. How is he not having a panic attack? He can’t have adjusted to this idea already could he?

Derek retracts his fangs and claws, and his eyes fade back to hazel. He doesn’t look so menacing now, just kinda grumpy. “So what are you, exactly? Because I can think of a few things that would describe that but I don’t know what is true right now.”

Derek sighs again, that’s really becoming a thing for him maybe it’s just the effect Stiles has on him, “Lycan, or more simply werewolf.”

“How is this my life? I find half a dead body and meet Derek Hale who turns out to be a werewolf, in less than 24 hours too. That’s got to be a world record.” Stiles flailed his hands around trying and failing to express his exasperation.

Derek gives him a weird look. “That’s your first reaction? No ‘please don’t kill me’ or ‘cool turn me? And how do you know my name?”

Stiles laughs. Yeah his first immediate thought was that Derek could kill him, but the idea of turning hadn’t really crossed his mind as much. “I’m sure if you wanted to kill me you would’ve done it by now, and I’d rather stay human right now, especially since I barely know the first thing about werewolves. And too curious for my own good remember?”

Derek looks mildly impressed, “I can almost guarantee you’ll be researching as soon as I leave.”

“Or you could tell me.” Stiles looks up at the werewolf hopefully.

“Why would I do that?” Derek’s frowning at him.

“Maybe because it’d be helpful to not make you want to kill me? And maybe I want to help you.” He’s beginning to wonder if he should listen to everyone and just duct tape his mouth shut permanently.

“Firstly me wanting to kill you has nothing to do with being a werewolf and secondly how could you _possibly_ help me?”

He sighs and looks away from Derek’s intimidating eyes, “I could help you find out who killed your sister.”

The room falls silent and Stiles wonders if Derek has jumped out the window. He looks up and Derek looks confused.

“Why do you care?” Derek grumbles.

“Well I’m a curious hyperactive kid who likes a good mystery and, well, I think the bastard needs to be caught, you’re sister seemed like a nice girl.”

Derek nods. He seems to think things over. He walks back over to the window and crouches on the window sill. “Don’t tell anyone or I’ll-“

“Maim and kill me. Yeah yeah I get it; you’re the big bad wolf. Don’t worry I’m aware my life is at stake if I tell anyone.” Stiles stops to think for a moment and realises that Derek doesn’t even know his name. “My name is Stiles Stilinski, by the way.”

“Who names their son Stiles Stilinski?” Derek looks like he’s suffering from second-hand embarrassment.

Stiles smirks, “My real name is far worse, believe me.”

Derek pauses for a moment then leaps out into the night. Stiles rushes to the window and peers around but there’s no sign of the guy. “Threatening the sheriff’s son, dude’s either insane, or has bigger problems. From what I know it’s probably both.”

Stiles sits alone at his usual table in the cafeteria, watching from afar as Scott tries to woo Allison. From this vantage point Scott looks like he’s smiling way to big and is probably stumbling over his words. Getting bored of watching this whole scene he stares out the window and his jaw drops at the sight of a sexy as hell, jet black Camaro parked across the street from the school. His jaw drops a little more at Derek leaning against it, staring directly at him.

He panics for a moment, but flusters and tries to keep his cool as he rushes out of the cafeteria. His bag flying around behind him he runs towards Derek who is being all stoic and mysterious. He flails his hands around wildly, “What the hell! Why are you here?”

Derek rolls his eyes, “You said you wanted to learn about werewolves, so I’m going to teach you.”

Stiles just stares at him. Unbelievable. Derek thinks he can just show up at school with his awesome car and good looks and Stiles will just go with him.

“So?! In case you hadn’t noticed but I’m at school right now I can’t just leave whenever I want.”

Derek doesn’t react to him at all. “That’s not how I remember high school.”

Stiles lets out a frustrated noise. “I’d rather not have my dad hate me, okay.”

Derek sighs, “Either you get in the car now, or I never teach you anything, ever.”

Oh my god, this is so unfair. “Argh! Fine.” He climbs into the passenger side and almost physically melts into the leather seat. Derek gets in the driver’s seat, Stiles straightens up and tries to look indifferent about how awesome the car is.

Derek parks the car on the outside of the woods. He gets out without a word and Stiles quickly follows. They begin walking through the woods.

“For some reason I’m not worrying that you could easily murder me right now.” Stiles says, because when he’s nervous he says random shit.

Derek just grunts in response, and Stiles tries not to worry that he didn’t say no. They stop walking in a clearing. Stiles puts his hands on his hips and spins around to survey the area. Trees. Just lots of trees, and more leaves on the ground than grass. “So what now?”

Derek grabs a stick from the ground and starts drawing on the ground. Stiles shuffles over to his side and looks down to see that Derek is drawing a triskelion. “This was my pack’s symbol. Each werewolf pack has a symbol.”

Stiles nods, because that makes sense considering werewolves are probably extremely territorial. “Okay, so does it have any specific meaning, like why are there

Derek takes a deep breath like it pains him to talk this much. “The standard meaning is Alpha, Beta and Omega. But it can also mean Unity, Family and Pack.”

Stiles is enjoying this, absorbing information had always been his thing. “So how do the rankings work?”

“The Alpha is the head of the pack and the only one who can turn humans. Betas are just average members of the pack. Omegas are either the lowest rank in the pack and basically get treated like scum or are lone wolves.”

Stiles wants to laugh at how that sounds just like high school, but he chooses not to for his own wellbeing. “So you’re an omega huh?”

Derek frowns, “How-?”

“Well your social skills suck, and you don’t act like you have a pack to help you.” He’s grinning because he can be overly smug when he wants to be.

Derek looks surprised that he could read him that easily.

“So, should I know about anything that can harm you?”

Derek looks reluctant to tell him.

Stiles almost shouts at him, “Dude, I won’t try and kill you! I promise.”

The werewolf just gives him this look that says ‘shut up, I know that, but I have my reasons.’

Stiles sighs. Actually it made a lot of sense that Derek had trust issues. He’s a lone wolf whose whole family is dead, and his sister was recently killed. Stiles could understand why he wouldn’t trust him. “Alright, but when you’re injured and I have to help you don’t say I didn’t try.”

Derek rolls his eyes but looks faintly grateful for not having to explain himself. His nose twitches and he looks up, a wave of confusion washing over his face. He walks past Stiles, clearly following his nose. Well at least Stiles know the super-smell thing is true. He runs after him.

Derek stops abruptly and is looking down. Stiles runs up behind him and stops to see what he’s looking at. A dead woman. At this rate finding dead girls would become a hobby for him. He looks closer and notices her body is clawed and bloody, her torso littered in huge bite marks.

“I’d say this was an animal attack...” Stiles lets his voice trail off.

“But?” Derek prompts.

“Considering that werewolves do actually exist, I’m gonna say that’s what happened here.”

Derek nods, then looks back down at the mangled body of the blonde woman. He frowns and recognition flashes in his eyes. Stiles watches curiously as Derek’s face shows emotion for what must be the first time in years.

Derek looks anywhere but at Stiles.

“With that mixture of self loathing, regret and hatred, I would say that she did something horrible but you think it’s your fault.” Stiles bluntly advertises his train of thought without stopping to filter for tact.

Derek whips around and pins him painfully to a tree. He looks majorly pissed, bewildered and just slightly sad. “How the hell do you know _that_.” Derek growls, like honest to god growls.

Stiles can feel his heart beating way too fast. He knew Derek would kill him eventually, he just hadn’t been expecting it right this moment. “I spend my days surrounded by teenagers, I’d notice those emotions anywhere.” He tries to slow down his heart beat, but is failing miserably. Derek lets go of him and is wincing slightly.

“Calm down alright, your heart is too freaking loud.” Derek mutters.

 Stiles laughs shakily, “You can hear my heartbeat?”

Derek nods, “It’s how we detect lies.”

Stiles makes a mental note to never lie to Derek. He points at the dead woman, “So who was she?”

Derek grimaces, “Kate Argent,” he turns to look at Stiles, and is clearly about to tell him something important, “the Argents are a family of hunters. Werewolf hunters. They have a code: we hunt those who hunt us. So long as I don’t kill anyone I’m fine.”

Stiles can’t imagine having to worry about people who professionally try to kill him. “Wait, Argent? There’s an Argent at my school and my best friend is currently trying to woo her.”

Derek rolls his eyes, which Stiles can actually agree with on his opinion with Scott and Alison, “She won’t be a problem, he’s not a wolf, he’s fine.”

Stiles nods and turns back to Kate. He shakes his head in disbelief, “I’m becoming that kid who sees dead people.” He was really starting to hope that he wouldn’t be seeing too many more dead bodies in his lifetime. “Do you think whoever did this is the same person who killed Laura?”

Derek freezes for a moment. “I thought it was hunters at first, but there were claw marks. Maybe they imitated the hunters’ style of cutting us in half to lead me away from them.”

Stiles shudders at the thought of being chopped in half, “Do you know any werewolves in the area?”

“There’s my uncle Peter, but he’s been in shock since the fire, hasn’t left the hospital since.”  Derek’s face falls, “But he has a motive for killing them both.”

Stiles clapped his hands together, “Okay, then why don’t we go talk to Uncle Peter and if it is him you guys can have a big wolf battle.”

Derek scowls at him, “I _would_ do that, but if I’m right about this then Peter is the Alpha and I can’t beat an Alpha, not alone anyway.”

Stiles lets out some weird frustrated noise, “Fine then we just leave him be, who else will he kill?”

Derek frowns, “He shouldn’t kill anyone else, but he’ll probably try and start a pack.”

Seriously? Scott’s problems right now probably consist of lacrosse, homework and Alison. Why did Stiles have to be the weird one? “Like going around biting people in alleyways?”

“Basically. But unfortunately with more strategy.” Derek looks tired and pissed off, and right now he could relate.

He suddenly has an awful thought. Peter could go after anyone. Scott and his dad are anyone. His dad is armed and wouldn’t believe him; also telling him would put him in more danger. But Scott is just Scott. Sure he had Alison but she doesn’t even look like she knows about her families hunting hobby.

“I need to tell Scott, to keep him safe!” Stiles is panicking, oh god what if Scott got bitten.

“No!” Derek growls

“WHAT?” 

“Telling him will put him in more danger. In case you haven’t noticed you knowing about this has already put you in danger.”

What? How is he in danger, all that had happened to him was seeing a few dead bodies. “How the hell am I in danger?”

Derek huffs out breath of agitation, “Someone could come after me while you’re with me, someone could use you as leverage, Peter will know that you know me!”

Stiles hadn’t thought about any of these possibilities, he knew hanging around a werewolf wouldn’t be safe but he hadn’t realised all these alternate risks. He lets out a shaky “O-oh,” then he thinks fuck it, “yeah well I don’t care, I’m still going to help you even if I can’t tell Scott.”

Derek looks at him like he’s lost, like he can’t believe Stiles exists which he finds funny considering Derek is the werewolf. “You are walking to your death you know that right?”

Stiles wants so bad to call Derek out on his concern but thinks better of it, “So are you.”

“Yeah, but I can heal faster than you.” Derek points out.

Stiles makes a mental note of that. “Any other wolf-powers I should know about?”

“I’m faster, stronger, and on the full moon all my senses are heightened and if I didn’t have an anchor I would go feral and probably kill someone.” Derek, the fucker, smirks.

Stiles lets his shoulders slump, “Wow thanks for the vote of confidence,” they start walking back to the car, “you said something about an anchor?”

“It’s something we hold onto, a memory, an idea or a person, that keeps us human during the full moon.”

Stiles mind wanders and he’s wondering what his anchor would be if he was a werewolf. Probably his mom. He misses her so much, he was alone with her when she passed and it’s kind of haunted him since. He’s too busy thinking to catch himself before asking “What’s your anchor?”  He braces himself for the lash out at the personal question.

Derek doesn’t seem fazed though, “Anger, mostly.”

“Oh the irony.” Stiles laughs.

He watches Derek for a moment and actually sees a wave of panic go through him. “Shit. Hunters will be on the look for a wolf when they find Kate. They won’t stop. Not until it’s dead.”

Stiles rubs his arm nervously, “They won’t go after you right? I mean you haven’t done anything wrong. You haven’t done anything wrong right?” His mind suddenly goes into to hyper mode and thinks up every possible bad thing Derek could’ve done. His mind shuts off when he realises Derek hasn’t answered his question. He looks up and Derek is staring at his feet.

“Not the sort of thing that would have them kill me.” Derek mutters.

They walk back through the forest in silence. Well as silent as Stiles randomly speaking his thoughts and Derek grunting in response can be. He’s still trying to figure out about why Derek seems so guilty. Yeah his family burned alive but did he feel responsible? It probably doesn’t matter since he’ll never get it out of the guy.

They reach the car and both get in. “Can you take me home? Since school is finished.” Stiles couldn’t help but point out that fact to Derek, he’s just that kind of person.

Derek drops him off at his house.

Before turning to walk up to his house he stops and says, “Thanks, for you know teaching me stuff and you know trusting me.”

Derek blinked, “I don’t trust you.”

Stiles shrugged, “Well I trust you.”

Derek frowns, “You shouldn’t.”

Stiles smiles bitterly, “Yeah well I knew that since I met you, yet I don’t think I’m going to be leaving you alone anytime soon.”

Derek scowls at him and grumbles quietly, “Of course you wouldn’t, would you.” And with that Derek drives off leaving Stiles staring after that beautiful car.

The first thing Stiles does that night after getting inside is printing out a calendar charting the lunar cycle.

#

At the end of the week the Sheriff brings his work home and leaves the files on his desk. Stiles being who he is runs to check the files as soon as his Dad wanders off somewhere. He flips the files open and instantly knows what the case is for. The murders of Laura Hale and Kate Argent. He feels his stomach drop. He instantly scans the suspect list and there are only two options written down. Mountain Lion or Derek Hale. Stiles internally flips out. Oh god! Derek is a suspect! He’s gonna be pissed and what if Dad sees him hanging around with him. This is bad, very very bad.

He flicks the file shut and runs upstairs trying not to scream. He bolts into his room and slams the door shut. He slides down the door and drops his head into his hands. He scrubs a hand over his face and looks up. He jumps and tries to scramble back. “Dammit Derek!” He stands up so he’s level with him.

He panics, “You can’t be here! My dad’s the sheriff and you’re a suspect!”

Derek frowns, “What? Why?”

Stiles flails his arms in frustration, “Because they won’t suspect Peter in his current state and you’re the only one who has a connection to them both.”

Derek looks even more pissed, “Well I can’t go to my house.”

“Why the hell not?”

Derek sighs, “Because hunters are currently staking out my house and all the area near my house.”

Stiles just gives up and collapses face first onto his bed. “You can stay here.”

Derek  just sounds confused. “What?”

Stiles sits up, “Oh my god, it’s not that difficult to understand. You can stay here, until your house is safe.”

“This is a bad idea,” Derek grumbles as he sits himself down in the desk chair.

Stiles sits up and looks Derek directly in the eye, “Well it’s not my fault they think you’re the big bad wolf.”

Derek glares at him for that. “How am I supposed to avoid your dad?”

Stiles lies back down and stares up at the ceiling, “Well you’ve been doing fine so far, being allergic to doors seems to help.”

Derek rolls his eyes and starts nosing around Stiles’ room. He watches him as he studies all his stuff. Derek stops for a moment to read something on his desk.  “You’re tracking the lunar cycle?”

Stiles laughs, “I need to know when to avoid you, and when to not go out at night.”

Derek nods and Stiles likes to think he looks impressed but who knows what Derek Hale is thinking half the time. He stands up and starts rummaging through his wardrobe for a sleeping bag. He pulls out the one he hasn’t used since his last school camp, and lays it out on the ground. He takes off his shirt and gets inside, snuggling up on the floor.

“What are you doing?” Derek asks, cocking his head slightly.

“I’m sleeping down here, you can have my bed.” Stiles explains like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Derek frowns, which is becoming his default expression, “I’m not making you sleep on the floor in your own house.”

Stiles curls up nice and snug and turns his back on him, “Well too bad, I’m a stubborn teenager.”

He settles down to go to sleep when suddenly he’s being picked up and what the hell is happening? “Ahh! What the fuck!” He gets dropped down onto his mattress, he wriggles around frantically trying to free himself from his sleeping bag when he hears Derek growl. He looks up to see Derek settling himself down on the ground next to his bed. Stiles is a stubborn idiot so he rolls off the bed landing next to Derek.

Derek attempts to murder him just with his eyes, which thankfully is not a werewolf power. “Regretting not killing me yet?” Stiles grins because well why not? Derek’s eyes flare electric blue, and Stiles’ heart speeds up. Derek’s eyes fade back to hazel, but Stiles doesn’t calm down, how could he with Derek fucking Hale right next to him?  Derek rolls his eyes and reaches out both his hands. He grips Stiles’ wrists firmly, but in a non-aggressive way. Stiles eyes widen in shock, Derek is staring right at him but not saying anything. Stiles’ heartbeat slows to a steady pace and Derek lets go. He doesn’t say anything and rolls over to sleep.

Stiles stares at the sleeping werewolf blinking rapidly. What the hell had just happened? Derek’s breathing slows down and sounds like he’s asleep. He is almost certain that he’s not asleep. “And you said you didn’t trust me.”

#

Stiles awakes Friday morning to someone pushing him away. He blinks his eyes a few times and tries to fight his morning daze. When his vision clears he is presented with Derek struggling to push him away. He realises that this is because in the night he had managed to hug Derek like a teddy bear and failed at letting go. He releases his arms and Derek rolls away in relief.

“Ugh what the hell?” Derek asks, but it’s more of an accusation.

Stiles shrugs innocently, “I’m a sleep-cuddler.”

Derek just looks pissed off and uncomfortable, “Don’t do that again, ever.”

Stiles just throws his arms up in exasperation, “It’s not my fault! I don’t do it consciously.”

Derek looks about ready to wolf out when suddenly, “Stiles! Hurry up, you’re going to be late.”

He freezes. Shit his dad was still home. “I’m up!” He shouts back. Leaning against his bedroom door he listens carefully for his dad’s footsteps. He sighs in relief when he hears the metallic ringing of keys. He turns back to Derek, who is just standing like he’s posing or something. Stiles cannot be bothered having the ‘I need to get changed, turn around’ conversation so he just grabs his clothes and heads for the bathroom.

After successfully changing into some jeans a t-shirt and a plaid shirt he returns to his bedroom and Derek is studying his desk again. “What are you gonna do all day?”

Derek turns to face him and shrugs, “I won’t be here all day.”

“Good, because I’m not sure if my life is weird enough yet for you to be hanging out here while I’m at school.” Stiles grabs his bag, “I gotta go, I guess you’ll be here tonight.”

Derek stares at him, and Stiles is pretty sure that’s his way of communicating. He sighs and  turns around, walks down stairs out the door and gets in his jeep. He remembers there’s a lacrosse game tonight and it is also the full moon. He bangs his head against the steering wheel. Why? Just why did the universe hate him?

When he gets to school Scott is in front of him instantly and is bouncing with happiness. Stiles sighs, “Spit it out.”

“I’m dating Allison!” He’s never Scott this happy, it looks like his grin might break his face.

“How did this happen?” He doesn’t mean to sound surprised, but Scott’s only friend was Stiles and Allison was a part of Lydia’s clique.

“I know it was selfish of me, but her aunt died recently, and she needed comfort so I was there for her.” Scott now looks nervous like Stiles would judge him.

The gears click in his mind and he realises who Allison’s aunt is. He suddenly feels extremely awkward. “That’s cool dude.”

Scott beams at him, and he never realised happiness could be concerning. “So do you want to sit with me and Allison at lunch?”

He furrows his brows, “Why would you want me invading your time with Allison?”

Scott smirks, “We’re sitting with Lydia’s group.”

Stiles’ lips twitch, “I’m touched, you know the way to my heart.”

#

It is lunchtime and Stiles is standing before the table he’s always wanted to sit at. He sits down next to Scott who is sitting really close to Allison. Stiles is grateful to be sitting across from Lydia but is trying to death glare Jackson. “Who’s this?” Lydia asks gesturing at him but looking at Allison.

“Stiles, he’s Scott’s friend.” Allison smiles sweetly, definitely Scott’s type.

“He’s the bench warmer.” Jackson says deadpan, but with a slight satisfactory smirk. He hates him. It’s a good thing he’s not Derek because he’d probably kill him.

Stiles just smiles at him and goes about eating his lunch. He likes being surrounded by the hum of conversation at the table, for once he’s the one not talking because he’s thinking. What if something bad happens tonight? Scott taps his arm.

“You alright dude?”

“Yeah,” he lies; lying is probably going to become a habit, “just thinking about the game tonight.”

Scott gives him a reassuring look, “We’ll do fine, we’ll win and you’ll get to play.”

He doubts that. The team doesn’t need him, but the extracurricular will good on his resume. Coach didn’t even get his name right. He keeps calling him Bilinski instead of Stilinski. He reminds himself that at least he’s not Greenberg.

He spends the rest of lunch trying to think of something to say to Lydia but comes up with nothing intelligent. Not to mention that Jackson’s presence made it difficult to just simply admire the genius of a girl. Why does he still bother? She’s taken, she’s ignored him since 3rd grade and she’s way out of his league. Maybe he should move on.

#

_Derek walks through the hospital and enters the familiar room. His uncle is sitting in the same chair as always just staring blankly into the middle of the room. The burn scar on his face is always a painful reminder for him._

_Derek takes the chair opposite him, rests his elbows on his knees and grips his hands together. “I found another body.” He doesn’t look his uncle in the eye; it’s too difficult with that blank stare.  “Kate Argent, you remember the Argents. I think it’s linked to Laura.” He sighs._

_“Do you have any idea how difficult this is? I’m so pathetically lost I’ve got some kid helping me. God he’s just a kid. He talks too much, and knows too much. I know I shouldn’t let him help, but he’s just so damn stubborn.”_

_He wrings his hands and scrubs a hand over his face. “You better not have anything to do with this,” he dares to look into that blank stare; “I will kill you or die trying.”_

#

Stiles sits on the bench, legs jittering with pent up energy. He watches as his team scores the final goal for the game, and the crowd jumps to their feet cheering. He leaps up and runs over to celebrate with Scott. “Dude we won!”

“But you didn’t get to play.” Scott is doing his puppy eyes, and seriously 90% of his facial expressions are puppy related. Maybe he’s just been working at the vets too much.

Stiles shrugs, “It’s fine, I’m used to it.”

Scott is about to say something else when Allison attacks him with a hug and a kiss. They do their cutesy couple thing and she drags him off to go hang out somewhere while the school’s still open. Everyone starts making plans to go get pizza to celebrate or to hangout for the weekend. He sees Jackson and Lydia heading off somewhere in the school too. He sighs and heads for his jeep. He takes off all his gear spare his shirt, shorts and shoes. He hops into the driver’s seat and thinks twice before heading home. He glances up at the night sky, he full moon taunting him from above.

If he stays here the rogue werewolf could attack him. But if he goes home Derek could be there and what happens if he loses his grip on himself and almost kills him. Either way it’s death by werewolf. How had his life reached this point?

He decides the best place to go would be in the class. Because at least he’d be inside instead of outside, also Scott, Allison, Lydia and Jackson are all in there so he’s not alone. He hops out of the jeep and strolls into the empty corridors. He just walks without thinking where he’s going, passing several of his classes. A loud and angry howl reverberates through the cold building. Stiles’ ears ring loudly and his stomach drops with dread.

“No.”

Then he hears it, a growl followed by the sound of something running his way. Stiles panics. He shoulder barges into the nearest classroom and slams the door shut. His shaking hands fumble with locking the door. His breath is shaky and his heart feels like it’s going to beat out of his chest. He turns around to see Allison and Scott staring at him with fear and confusion.

“Stiles, what the hell was that?” Scott asks his voice wavering.

Stiles smiles and scratches the back of his neck, “There is a wild animal in the school.” It’s not exactly a lie and it gets the danger across.

It looks like Scott is about to explode because that’s just how freaked out he looks. Allison is trying to calm him down, and it’s kind of working at the moment. Stiles turns full circle because what else can he do and he stops breathing. The whole back wall is just glass windows. Those windows will not hold back a feral werewolf. “We need to move.”

“What? Why?” Allison asks him, she’s looking at him like he’s insane, which may be a valid assumption.

“Because there is a 20 foot wall of glass behind you.” Stiles deadpans. He unlocks the door and makes sure Allison and Scott are following him. He takes a deep breath and bolts out the door and down the corridor. His feet feel like jelly and his head like it weighs 2 tonnes. He glides around corner after corner until he spots the library. A chocked sound of relief escapes him as he holds the door open for Allison and Scott.

He follows them in and locks the door behind him. He hastily grabs a table and drags it to sit in front of the door. Ready to calm Scott down he turns and his life gets that little bit more difficult. Jackson and Lydia are standing in the corner looking confused. He opens his mouth to explain the situation but a loud thud and scrape above him shuts him up. Looking up at the ceiling his heart starts thudding even faster as he hears the wolf moving around.

He glances nervously out the window and doesn’t trust his eyes. Derek? Derek’s running past the library completely wolfed out, but he looks like he’s in control of it. Oh God he is going to have a wolf battle with his uncle, but like right now. Stiles is ignoring Lydia and Jackson, because he’s focusing on the sound of claws tearing flesh.

He can’t take this anymore, he pulls the table out of the way and slips outside. He closes the door shut firmly and takes off his belt and uses it to tie the double doors closed together. The last thing he hears before running off is “Oh great the freak is also an idiot.” Gee thanks Jackson.

It’s a miracle he hasn’t had a panic attack yet. He runs to the courtyard outside and keeps his eyes on the roof. He watches in horror as the silhouette of a giant wolf beast shredding its claws through Derek. He wants to scream, he tries to scream but nothing comes out. The wolf looks down at him from the roof. Awestruck he watches as it morphs into a calm human form. It walks towards him with no sign of attacking.

As it approaches he sees that it is a man who is smiling smugly with content. “You must be Stiles.”

He tries to calm down his breathing, “H-how do y-you know my name?”

The man smiles, “My nephew has mentioned you a few times,” he breaths out a small laugh, “I like you Stiles, thank you for watching out for my nephew. God knows no one else would.”

Stiles clenches his fists, “Yet you just slaughtered him!”

Peter glances back up at the roof where he left Derek for dead. “That was just a little domestic dispute.” He starts to pace slowly around Stiles, caging him in. “You have quite the spirit. Strong morals, loyalty, following your instinct. You’d make a great wolf Stiles. I can give you the bite.”

He felt like he should be begging for his life, or planning his last words. “What if I don’t want to be one.”

Peter smirked, “You’d be faster, stronger, your sense heightened. You could be the star of the team, get the girl, and be popular.”

Peter holds his wrist and pulls it towards himself. Fangs elongating he opens his mouth wide over Stiles’ wrist.

Heart hammering, he snatches his hand away. He glares at Peter, “I. Don’t. Want. It.”

Peter laughs. He actually outright laughs. “You’re a strange one. You say you don’t want it with such _conviction_ , yet your heart betrays you.”

To his surprise the werewolf steps back and keeps going slowly. “Your friend. Scott isn’t it? Dating the hunter. He should learn how dangerous they are don’t you think?” With a smirk and wave goodbye, Peter morphs back into full wolf form and runs off into the night.

Stiles catches his breath and runs. He runs to the side of the building where there’s a conveniently placed ladder. Full body shaking he scrambles up to the roof. The cold night air stinging his face, he sprints towards Derek’s abandoned body. He falls to his knees and grasps at Derek’s shirt desperately. The man groans in pain.

“Oh God, don’t die. Please don’t die. Death by creepy uncle is the worst way to go.” He grabs Derek’s shoulders and tries sitting him up. Dark blood spills onto his uniform, and shit that’s going to take a lot to get out. He stares in horror at the huge deep gashes through his torso. Then they start healing, right before his eyes. The skin mends itself and leaves no scar, like his internal organs weren’t just visible.

“What’d he do to you?” Derek rasps out. He leans back to check that Stiles is alright, and Stiles take the moment to realise that he’s not wolfed out anymore.

“Nothing, he was being creepy, and then he offered me the bite, which I declined, and then said something about teaching Scott that hunters are dangerous before running out into the night.” Retelling the events does not make them sound any less strange.

“You declined and he didn’t attack you?” Derek sounds genuinely shocked.

“He said he liked me, and that you’ve mentioned me.” Stiles tries not to smile about that.

Derek looks ready to defend his title when a scream slices through the air. Stiles sits bolt upright. He recognises that scream. “Scott.” His throat is closing in on itself. Derek gets to his feet and leaps down from the roof. Stiles really thinks the healing thing is unfair. He slides down the ladder and runs with Derek towards the sound.

They’re running down a corridor when they spot Scott sprawled out on the ground, passed out. Derek runs ahead of him and is quickly checking his pulse and inspecting for wounds. Stiles sprints up behind him and almost screams at the sight of the huge bite mark on Scott’s abdomen. He gasps, the bite is healing.

It’s healing. Healing means werewolf. Scott is a werewolf. It’s Stiles' fault. Scott is a werewolf and it’s all his fault. He runs.

           

 

           

 

           

 

           

           

           

           

 

 

                       

                       


	2. Sends You Packing

Stiles runs. He runs, his whole body feeling like lead, collapsing into the jeep. He drives home, swerving all over the road on the way. He sneaks into the house snatches the bottle of jack and walks. He doesn’t think. He does anything but think. His feet are his guide. He ends up in the woods. He unscrews the cap takes a long swig and sits down. The bittersweet burn of the liquid hitting his throat brings him relief. He drinks and drinks til he can’t remember why he’s here in the first place. He screws the lid back on and clumsily tries to stand up. He falls over and cries. He lets the tears come, because he’s failed.

He’s failed as a friend. He’s failed as a person. And right now he’s failing as a son. He rolls over onto his back and stares at the stars. The stars, he thinks, are nice they just sit their shining their own light and being pretty. He glances at the moon. The moon, it borrows light from the sun and claims it to be its own it controls the oceans, the people and apparently the werewolves. Stiles decides he hates the moon.

Footsteps and rustling leaves unearth a panic in his chest. He doesn’t move to defend himself though. Whatever is about to happen to him, he deserves it. Derek steps out of the shadows and looms over him. He looks pissed as usual, and a little disappointed. “I’m taking you home.”

Stiles laughs bitterly, and sits up. He stares coldly at Derek, his head lolling with his drunkenness, “Why? Why would you care what happened to little old me. I’m just some annoying fragile human. Leave me alone.”

Derek looks furious. “Get up.” He doesn’t even wait for Stiles to reply he just grips his shirt and pulls him to his feet like he’s nothing. Derek drags him back through the woods by the collar of his shirt.  He tries to protest and fails to break free, and everything is getting blurry through his haze.

Derek shoves him into his car, and silently drives him back home. He walks him up to his doorstep. “I’m not sneaking you in; you need to face your father.”

Stiles whines, “I knew you hated me, but this is a low blow. I’ve already fucked up enough for a lifetime don’t you think?”

Derek growls, “You’re just a kid you couldn’t have done anything if you’d wanted to.”

Stiles sighs, “Exactly.” He opens the door to his house and closes it without saying another word to the brooding wolf.

His dad is sitting at the bench in the kitchen, and the disappointment on his face stabs him right in the heart. “Son where were you?”

Stiles sighs shakily, “I was hanging out at school with some friends, I’m sorry I forgot to call.”

His dad sighs and stands up to hug him. He relaxes into the hug, glad to feel safe again, “Well you’re home now, just don’t do that again. You scare me sometimes.”

He laughs. Stiles scaring someone? Please, that is the worst lie he’s heard since Lydia reciprocating his feelings. “Goodnight Dad.”

He trudges up the stairs and collapses in his bed. If he’s lucky he’ll die in his sleep and never have to deal with his problems ever again. But Stiles is never lucky.

#

Scott isn’t at school on Monday. Stiles would panic more if Scott hadn’t text him this morning saying he wasn’t going to be at school for a while until his wounds healed. He knew it was bullshit, he’d seen those healed wounds himself. But Scott doesn’t know that Stiles was already involved in all this werewolf crap before hand, so he thinks his friend is just an innocent human.

He spends the day alone, because what else can you do when your only friend is absent. He does go to the library at lunch and decides o study up on werewolves. He discovers that wolfsbane can be used to kill them, and so can mistletoe. It’s like they’re allergic to rare plants. He wonders what Scott is doing.

#

_Peter sits back and watches as Scott leaps and bounds his way through the obstacle course trying to be as fast as he can. When Scott reaches the end, Peter smirks. “You’re getting better, now enough of the practical training, time for some information, with the whole knowledge is power rule.”_

_Scott just nods, looking slightly confused but he always seems to be that way. “You need an anchor. Something meaningful, an idea, a memory, a person; to keep you human during the full moon.”_

_Scott thinks for a moment. “Allison.”_

_Peter rolls his eyes, “Although I do not doubt the power of human love, you did just meet her a week ago so let’s not be too hasty. But considering your life consists of her, lacrosse, Stiles and school we’ll leave it be for now.”_

_Scott’s eyes widen, “How do you know Stiles?”_

_Peter smirks and turns away from Scott, staring off into the distance, “He has decided for some insane reason to assist my nephew.”_

_Peter can basically hear Scott’s brows furrowing. “Your nephew? Wait, is he a werewolf too? Would he hurt Stiles? Wait, how does he know Stiles.”_

_The paranoia was becoming a natural part of their usual conversations, Peter sighs, “Yes my nephew, Derek, is a werewolf. He could hurt Stiles if he wanted to, but I have a feeling he won’t do that. As for how they know each other, that is something I don’t know.”_

_Scott looks minutely calmed down, “Didn’t you say, a while ago, that you wanted to try and convince your nephew to join the pack?”_

_He had said that. But he also knows that Derek is stubborn and would do anything within his power to not join his pack. But he also had thought Derek was too stubborn to accept help from anyone, apparently not. Maybe, just maybe, if they get to Stiles first, they won’t even need to get to Derek._

_Peter smirks, hiding his face from Scott, “That I did.”_

_Scott sounds flustered, “But Stiles doesn’t know about any of this! He could get hurt!”_

_How vacant was he? But telling Scott that Stiles was informed would mean they would work together. And even if you’re not a wolf, pack makes you stronger._

_He doesn’t need to know. We just need to be equipped to help him if we have to. Which is why we are going to get some new pack members.”_

_Scott seems to have settled, “Okay where do we find them?”_

_Peter turns to him with a delightfully smug smile plastered on his face, “Those lacrosse players are quite strong aren’t they? Using strategy and teamwork to win. Running around like wolves.”_

#

By the end of the day Scott hadn’t shown up. Stiles would be me worried if Scott hadn’t already been spending his spare time completely focused on Allison. He chucks his bag into his jeep and gets in. He turns the ignition while muttering to himself, “I’m Scott and I can’t hang out with my best friend because there’s this really pretty girl, and he’s a crap friend anyway because I got bitten by a crazy alpha werewolf that wouldn’t have known me if it wasn’t for him. Now I’m probably never going to see him anyway because I’m busy doing wolf things with Derek Hales creepy uncle who-” He slams his foot on the break.

He almost hit someone. Whipping his head around in panic he searches through the windscreen to see who it was. Derek. He almost ran over Derek! He scrambles out of the car and runs towards the man, who is currently falling over backwards. By the time he reaches him, he’s sitting up and glaring up at Stiles.

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying attention and you came out of nowhere, and please don’t kill me!”  Stiles is breathing too fast.

“Shut up.” Derek struggles to get to his feet. Stiles realises he looks paler than usual. “I was looking for you.”

Stiles frowns, why the hell would he look for him?  Derek gestures at to his arm, and oh god, that’s a bullet wound and it’s deep and oh my god he can see the veins.  He resists the urge to throw up his lunch. “Holy shit! What the hell happened?”

Derek starts taking shallow breaths, he shudders as his eyes flash violently blue, “Hunters.”

Stiles chances another glance at the bullet wound, which still isn’t healing. “Wolfsbane bullet?”

Derek looks shocked, “How-?”

Stiles cuts him off, “I get bored, I research You wouldn’t believe some of the conspiracy theories out there. But just to make sure, are the royal family really werewolves?”

Derek just shoots him a death glare and shakes his head in disbelief. He hauls the wolf to his feet and helps him into the passenger side. He starts driving back to his house. “I think I have earned the right to say ‘I told you so’.”

He parks up outside his house suddenly his head gets shoved into the steering wheel. Sharp bursts of pain shoot up his skull, “Argh! What the hell?”

Derek scowls at him.

“Hey, I’m the one trying to help you here, remember that.” They get out of the car and head into the garage. His dad won’t be home until late so they’ve got some time. Once they’re inside and Stiles has shut the door, Derek slumps down against the wall looking completely wrecked.

“You’re not dying are you?” He has to ask because he’s nervous, and not knowing makes him more nervous.

“Not yet.” Derek breathes out.

“Not yet? Oh great, now I’m going to have to explain to my dad why I have a dead murder suspect in the garage.” Stiles starts pacing. “But we’ve got time right? So there’s gotta be something we can do. Is there any kind of special medicine for werewolves?”

Derek is either in too much pain to respond, or he simply doesn’t know.

He stares at him, seeing Derek looking this close to death brings up bad memories. But he shouldn’t think of those right now. But then again Stiles has never really done what he should. So he thinks about how when he was 8 years old he watched his mother die, he was all alone with her and he couldn’t do anything. He just had to sit their feeling helpless and just watch her die. He doesn’t want that to happen again. Not this time, not when he can do something to stop it.

He stops pacing and stands in front of Derek, holding himself as still as he can. “Is there anyone, anyone at all, who could possibly help?”

Derek looks up at him confusion playing at his features, “Well there is one person my mom told me to go to if the pack wasn’t around if I ever needed help. Alan Deaton, do you know him?”

Stiles furrows his brows together, “Scott’s boss? The vet?”

Derek nods.

Stiles fails to fight back a laugh, “Dude I’m sorry, but you guys bought that dog joke upon yourself there.”

Derek growls, as Stiles helps him to his feet. They get in the jeep and drive to the animal clinic. Derek blacks out just as Stiles parks. He looks over at Derek and stares at his body in frustration. He so was not going to drag him in there. He scrambles out of the car and bursts through doors in panic.

Deaton looks up from where he was working. His brows furrow at the sight of the flustered Stiles before him. “Do you have an injured animal?”

Stiles pants and smiles wryly, “Something like that.”

Deaton follows him out to the car and Stiles explains along the way, “It’s Derek Hale, he got shot, he said you could help.”

Deaton stops for a moment, “I’ve never met Derek personally, but I knew his family well.”

Stiles opens the door to the jeep and helps Deaton carry the very heavy and unconscious Derek to the surgery table. Deaton took one look at the wound and rushed into the store room. He comes back with an open case of bullets.

Stiles watches as Deaton inspects the wound before selecting a specific bullet from his collection. The vet cracks it open and gathers the powder inside into a small pile. He pulls out a lighter and burns the bluish violet powder; he pulls on a pair of gloves and collects the ashes in his hands. He starts dabbing the ashes into the wound.

Stiles scans Derek’s arm wearily, the black protruding veins taunting him. He gasps slightly as the wound begins to heal and a luminescent blue smoke arises from the flesh and evaporates into the air. “He’ll remain unconscious for some time, but he’ll be back to full strength soon enough.”

Stiles nods and just stares at Derek waiting for him to awake at any moment to growl at him. Deaton eyes him curiously, “You’re human, so what association do you have with Derek?”

Stiles turns to face him, and brushes a hand over his buzz cut. “I’m helping him.”

Deaton raises a brow, “A human helping a werewolf?”

He’d been thinking the exact same thing over the past few days. “I kinda forced myself upon him. He tried to stop me, but I’m incredibly persistent.” He shrugs.

Deaton nods clearly understanding that, “But what I don’t understand is that he put his trust in you. 1. He’s Derek Hale and has always been cautious with his trust. 2. After his family died he didn’t trust anyone at all. And 3. You’re not pack. So why would he trust you?”

Stiles’ lips quirk, “He doesn’t. Said so himself. But I trust him, I mean he hasn’t killed me yet and I know he’s probably wanted to so I say that’s a good sign.”

Deaton chuckles lightly, “How do you know about werewolves?”

Stiles tilts his head towards the still unconscious Derek, “He caught me snooping around his family history and showed me the truth before I found it myself and caused mass panic.”

Deaton smiles, and then looks dead serious, “What exactly are you helping him with?”

Stiles cringes at the memories of everything that has happened lately, “Well at first I was helping him find out who killed his sister and Kate Argent, turned out to be Creepy Uncle Peter. Then Peter bit my friend Scott and they’ve both been MIA since last Friday. And most recently I assisted in saving his life, which I really thought would have been the other way around.”

Deaton looks startled by the news. “So Peter Hale is currently building a pack, while hunters are out there wanting revenge?”

Stiles nods, “Oh, and Derek here is a murder suspect. Turns out you can’t suspect a guy who was in a catatonic state in hospital for the last 8 years.”

Deaton looks so done. Like Stiles just told him some complete bullshit, but it was probably more because he’d just told him some information that made him question his life choices.

“How exactly have you been helping?” Deaton still doesn’t seem to be able to believe that Derek could be accepting Stiles’ help.

Stiles puffs out a long breath, “Now that I think about it so far I’ve really only been studying up, and apparently attracting the attention of Peter. But I have been letting him stay at my house since there seems to be a bounty on any werewolf in the area.”

Deaton’s eyes widen, “He’s staying at your house?”

He shrugs, “Well, yeah. The dude had nowhere to go so I gave up my bed for him.”

Deaton mulls this over for a few moments, “How much do you know about werewolf behaviour?”

Oh shit, this sounds like a ‘you’ve fucked up big time and I’m going to tell you in the nicest way possible’ talk. “Uh, n-not much. Why?”

Deaton sighs and shoots a quick glare at Derek, clearly blaming him for this. “Okay well territory is a big deal for them, it’s basically sacred. According to Derek’s wolf your house is your territory, your room even more so. So you offering Derek your bed, is like a significant personal gesture.”

“What? Woah! I’m not trying to propose to him or anything!” Stiles holds his hands up in defence.

Deaton gives him a pointed look, “Derek’s human side understands that very clearly, but his wolf side may very likely be confused by your intentions.”

Stiles looks up at the ceiling “Fuck my life.”

Deaton chuckles, “Did he accept this offer?”

Stiles huffs at the memory, “No, he slept on the floor. But I refused to sleep in my bed with a guest sleeping on the floor, so I slept next to him, and may have accidentally hugged him in my sleep.”

Deaton looks torn between laughing and deeply frowning, “Considering the events that have occurred I am surprised Derek is as composed as he is. His wolf must be struggling with your actions and dealing with your scent.”

“Dealing with my scent?” He’s offended, he doesn’t smell bad, well he may smell like death considering recent disasters but still.

“Yes, every person has a unique scent, and after being in your room and being touched by you so often your scent is probably still lingering on him. Wolves scent things that belong to them, territory, pack members, mates.”

Stiles tries not to laugh at the idea of Derek rolling around on top of his car. “But I’m not a wolf, so I’m technically not scenting him, am I?”

Deaton looks mildly pained, “It doesn’t matter that you’re human. Your actions are displaying a huge amount of trust to his wolf, and being an omega who longs for a pack, he’s probably trying not to refer to you as pack.”

“How could I possibly be pack, for Peter I understand he thinks I’d make a good wolf, but to Derek how?” He thought he had all this werewolf stuff sussed, but nope apparently he’s just begun.

At this exact moment, Derek decides to wake up. He scowls at them, “What were you talking about?”

Stiles grins widely because stalling is all he can do right now. Deaton promptly answers for him, “I was just informing Stiles about werewolf behaviour, so he doesn’t wander off into someone’s territory.”

Derek’s eyes narrow, “You’re half lying.”

Deaton smirks, “And I’m aware that you know that.”

Stiles looks between them and wonders if Deaton purposefully just set up the conversation he was clearly going to be having with Derek. So when they get in the jeep and start driving home Stiles isn’t surprised when Derek prompts the conversation.

“What were you talking about with Deaton?” He can feel Derek’s eyes piercing into him.

“Just how your wolf side might interpret things differently than your human side.” Stiles shrugs like it’s no big deal.

Derek’s quiet for a moment, “Then why did Deaton lie?”

Stiles smiles wryly, “Probably so we’d have this conversation.” He parks the jeep outside his house and sighs at the sight of the police cruiser. “We’ll continue said conversation in my bedroom, which you’ll be sneaking into as my dad is home early.”

Derek nods and climbs out, running off to the shadows by the side of his house. Stiles tries to quickly think of an excuse as to why he’s late home. He opens the front door and his dad is pulling out a microwave dinner and serving it onto a plate. He looks up at Stiles’ arrival.

“Where’ve you been? I had prepared myself for you to be discussing the ongoing investigation I’m not allowed to discuss with you.” He smiles because this is how they’ve always worked their conversations.

Stiles smiles, “I was just at Scott’s checking up on him, he wasn’t at school so yeah. Did you say ongoing investigation? I thought you’d closed it on account of animal attack.”

His dad sighs, “We were going to, but a weapon was clearly used on Laura Hale, and unless a mountain lion can snap someone’s neck and leave hand shaped bruising, we’re ruling that out. So now we’re just looking for Derek Hale to bring him in for questioning. You haven’t seen him have you?”

Stiles doesn’t want to lie to his father so instead he answers the question with intense rambling. “Yeah. But I know he’s grumpy, and barely speaks full sentence, growls a lot, and likes to loom in the shadows, but he’s not a murderer!”

His dad looks taken aback by this outburst of defence. “Stiles, how well do you know Derek Hale?”

Stiles sighs, “Very. He’s kind of my friend but I wouldn’t necessarily call him my friend.”

His dad suddenly looks uncomfortable, “Is there something you need to tell me?”

Panic. He feels panic and a lot of it. “Nope. Absolutely nothing, just that I used to hang out with Derek and haven’t seen him recently. So no, I do not know where he is.” He runs off to his room before he has to get his ass hauled into the interrogation room at the police station.

He closes his door so his dad won’t go for a second attempt at that conversation. He spins around and is suddenly pushed up against his door by none other than Derek.

“If you say one word.” Derek was right up in his personal space and that made Stiles nervous.

“Dude why would I turn you in? Huh? Really what gain do I get from that? Because I want the one guy I hang out with locked in a prison cell. Seriously have you been paying attention to what I’ve been saying at all?”

Derek lets go of him and takes a step back. He folds his arms over his broad chest. “So continuing that conversation from earlier.”

Stiles sighs in relief, just glad to not be pressed against his door. He crosses the room and sits down in his desk chair, looking up at Derek. “Any of my actions that your wolf may be taking the wrong way, I’d like to apologise for that. Also sorry for accidentally scenting you, that must suck.”

Derek looks surprised, “My wolf thinks that you letting me stay here makes you a protector, my protector. But there’s no problems with that, other than that I can protect myself. And I don’t mind your scent, it’s just a mix of grass, sweat, homeliness and teenage hormones and whatever deodorant you use.” Derek shrugs.

He’s stunned to say the least. Him protecting Derek? That was a joke in itself. The fact that Derek could pinpoint everything in his scent, was pretty awesome. He mentioned homeliness. What does he mean by that? “What do you mean by homeliness?”

Derek sighs, and sits down on Stiles’ bed. “You remind of them. Brave, stubborn, always talking.”  For a brief second Stiles thinks he sees a smile, a small one yes, but it’s still there.

Stiles smiles because it’s nice hearing Derek talk about his family happily despite what happened. “Where have you been staying by the way?”

“Is that even safe? I mean there must be so many places where you could get seriously injured in there, and now there are hunters out there too. I’m surprised you’re still alive at this rate.” Stiles plans to go out to the house. He’s human the hunters won’t attack him; they’ll just think he’s a curious teenager.

#

The next day at school, Scott is back. Stiles sees him talking to Allison, he doesn’t pay him much mind, but Scott all but bounds up to him. At the sight of his werewolf friend running towards him he thinks he’s dead. But Scott just stops in front of him and smiles awkwardly, “So, heard you’ve been hanging out with Derek Hale.”

Nope, this is not the conversation he wants to be having. “Yeah. So?”

Scot sighs, and it’s worrying how much he’s acting like a parent, “I heard he’s not safe, okay. I just don’t want you getting hurt.”

Wow, as if he isn’t already painfully aware of how vulnerable he is. “Thanks for the self esteem boost.” He turns and walks towards class.

#

Lacrosse practice is this afternoon. Stiles shows up in full gear as always, and takes his place on the bench. If you were to ask him why he even bothers to show up, he’d probably tell you it’s because he loves lacrosse and just being at the games makes him feel like he’s helping.

He rests his chin in his hands and watches the hypnotic movements of the team doing drills. He sits up a bit when something in the tree line catches his eye. A person? He squints, trying to get a better look and almost falls off the bench. Peter Hale. Peter is watching lacrosse training, why?

He glances from the team to him and back to the team again. Peter was trying to start a pack, and the lacrosse players are pretty strong, oh god he was watching his prey. He was either going to kill someone or force them into the family. He reaches for his phone ready to call Derek, when he realises, he doesn’t have Derek’s number. Stiles stuffs his phone back into his pocket, “Of course, only for me would not having someone’s number would mean someone’s untimely demise. And this time I’m not even being desperate.”

#

The final bell rings and Stiles high tails it to the jeep. He drives home, almost certainly breaking the speed limit. He jumps out and runs straight upstairs to his room which is, for once, void of Derek. He does a double check just in case the guy was lurking in the shadows. He gives up with a sigh and flops down onto his bed. He glances at the clock, he’s got a good 5 hours before his dad gets home. He pulls on his red hoodie and  runs back out to the jeep deciding it’s about time to investigate the Hale house.

The woods look even more terrifying than he last remembers. This is probably on account of the fact that now he knows there are werewolves out there, one of them just happens to be Scott. He takes a deep breath and marches onwards. He has seen the house once before, he was out here with Scott  when they were really young just exploring when they saw the house. Scott had been scared and wanted to leave, but Stiles had been curious of the lone house in the woods. But at the sight of someone opening the front door they’d fled. Stiles shakes away the memory and continues walking.

He spots the house and stops dead in his tracks. His whole body feels cold and he starts shivering. The house is a charred skeleton of what it once was. The red paint on the front door peeling and faded. The whole back half of the house burnt off, and the inside crumbling. Derek’s been staying here?  No wonder the guy was grumpy, this place was devastating. He had literally been staying where his whole family had burned alive. Stiles feels his eyes well up, and wipes at them furiously.

He collects himself and steps forward to check out the inside of the house.  He screams as his feet are pulled out from under him and he’s swinging around upside down. Blood rushes to his head and his vision hazes over. His hoodie rides up (down?)  and starts bunching up around his shoulders. He flails his arms around in panic frantically searching for his attacker.

A figure walks towards cool and calm. He glances up his throat closing up with fear. An old man was smirking down at him. He is dressed in all black and he looks a lot stronger than he should be for his age. “And what do we have here?”

Stiles gasps in a breath, “Oh you know just hanging out. And as much as I love spending time in these creepy woods alone at night I need to be getting home..”

The man crouches down to his eye level, a dangerous glint in his eye.  “ _Why_ are you out here?”

Stiles tries to swallow, but it’s difficult being upside down and all. “To check out that creepy house.”

The man seems to accept that he is not lying, but he looks suspicious nonetheless.  He smirks, “I know you have been accompanying the man who lives here. The one who killed my daughter. Now I advise you to have a normal life and stop walking into war.” He swiftly pulls out a sword and chops the rope tied to Stiles’ feet. The teen flops to the ground, and scrambles to his feet.

“Yeah well I’ve never been good at doing what’s best for me.” Stiles smirks and backs away from the man.

The man looks intrigued and vaguely amused. As Stiles is running away he hears the man yell “Stupidity is mistaken for bravery!”

#

_Peter watches the house from across the street. He hears the sound of idle conversation, which turns into the man shouting and a loud smash as glass shatters. He can hear the boy’s heart racing. The front door to the house opens, light spilling out into the night, and the boy storms out shoulders slumped._

_The events that just unfolded are enough evidence for Peter to know that Isaac Lahey will be easy to manipulate._

#

Stiles gets home to find the grumpy werewolf reading his spiderman comics at his desk. “Dude where were you? I got home and you weren’t here, and I have no idea what you do all day.”

“I was out.” Derek flips to the next page in the comic, not bothering to look up at Stiles.

“Alright, well while you were out I was in the woods,” he’s rewarded with a flinch from Derek, “and I got caught in a hunters trap, I also met Kate’s father. He carries a sword with him, a fucking sword!”

Derek has turned around as is now on his feet facing him looking dead serious. “What did he do?”

Stiles actually has to think hard about that, because being upside down makes remembering difficult. “He knows that I’m hanging around with you, and he thinks you killed Kate.  And he told me to stay out of all this shit and live a normal life.”

Derek glares at the floor.” His name’s Gerard,” he looks out at the woods through the window, “he’s right you know, you shouldn’t be involved in this. Especially since it’s getting worse.”

Stiles sits down on his bed, “Well we both know I’m not staying out of this, you’d be dead without me. And what do you mean it’s getting worse?”

Derek sits back down in the desk chair. He looks tired, “He’s building his pack. I can’t believe I’m saying this but; Stiles, I need your help.”

Stiles not sure whether he should panic about Peter building a pack or leap for joy that Derek needs his help. He does neither, he smiles, “How can I help?”

Derek looks pained just thinking about his words, “I’m going to need you to keep an eye on the new Beta and keep me informed. Isaac Lahey, on your lacrosse team. He’ll probably be hanging out with Scott.”

Stiles nods, “Okay got it.”

Derek takes a deep breath and breathes out, “Do not provoke him, and be careful.”

#

The next day at school starts off strange. The first thing Stiles sees as he enters the bustling corridor is Allison trying not to cry and Lydia talking to her trying to calm her down. Stiles walks over to them, because he wants to help. That’s all he ever wants to do.

“Allison what happened?” Stiles asks, because even if they’re not friends Allison needs someone.

She’s about to reply, when Lydia steps in front of him, her intense gaze sending fear through him. “She doesn’t need another stupid boy making her day worse, okay? So back off, whoever the hell you are.”

Stiles would usually be hurt by such ignorance to his existence but right now he’s got bigger problems. “Wait, what did Scott do?”

Allison laughs shakily, “Turns out my boyfriend is a werewolf and my family hunts werewolves, so clearly we broke up.”

Stiles gives her a sympathetic look, “I’m sorry, he’s a dumbass.” He can’t stay any longer to talk about Scott, because he needs to find this Isaac Lahey. He starts walking to science, when he sees Scott at his locker smiling at some tall guy with curly blonde hair.

Wait, Scott smiling? Didn’t he just break up with Allison? Shouldn’t he be devastated and eating ice cream? Stiles realises that the tall guy must be Isaac. He watches as they continue their animated conversation. They’re really bros, Stiles envies them just a little.

Nothing eventful happens all day, well except for Greenburg almost burning off his eyebrows. He gets home and goes to his room. He’s beginning to realise that he’s gotten used to having Derek in his room.

“So?” Derek asks as Stiles pulls out his homework.

“Nothing happened. The only news you might be interested in is that Scott and Isaac are basically attached at the hip.” He grumbles and settles down on his bed to go through his chemistry questions. Derek nods.

“There’s nothing we can do, is there?” Stiles asks sighing.

Derek glances up from his book, “Peter wants me to join his pack, so the best thing we can do right now is not do that.”

Stiles sits himself up properly, “And what about the hunters and the suspected murder? You can’t hide forever.”

Derek frowns, “I would usually have moved by now, but I’m not going to leave you here with this mess. And you’d most likely follow me.”

He laughs, “ You wish.”

Derek smiles, an actual honest to god smile. “Nah, you’d be picky about where we went.”

Stiles scoffs, and grips his heart in mock hurt. He stops because even if he’s busy with something his mind is always thinking. “Hey, why is he choosing teenagers?”

Derek shrugs, “Easy to manipulate I guess.”

Stiles stands up and starts pacing, he waves his hands around as he talks, “But Peter seems to have a plan, like he does everything for a reason. Usually a big main reason. Like he’s lining up a move.”

Derek is thinking, “Didn’t you say he asked you to join his pack?”

Stiles nods, “Yeah.”

Derek frowns, “Well why hasn’t he bitten you then, I mean he didn’t ask Scott and I’m pretty sure he didn’t ask Isaac, probably just told him after.”

Stiles freezes mid pace, “He’s trying to convince me to join. For some reason he wants me to join of my own volition.”

Derek looks pissed off and scared. His eyes flash blue, and he growls. “He’ll have to go through me first.”

Stiles pales, “I think he’s counting on that.”

#

_Peter stands in the shadows of the gymnasium, he watches as the blonde girl climbs up the rock wall. Her hands shaking as she holds on for her life. She gets ¾ of the way up when her body starts shaking violently. She slips and as she falls the sound of sprinting feet echo through the gym. He watches Scott catch her. At the sound of more feet making their way here, he vanishes. She was persistent in climbing that wall, fearless. She has no friends. Her epilepsy would be cured by the bite. He bites her that afternoon in a secluded part of the school. Erica Reyes shakes no more._

_The boy sits alone, everyday. He’s quiet, he’s a thinker. He’s calm, and strong. Peter watches him go through school alone. He watches him go to fight classes; the boy is a strategic fighter. Pater finds him after school and bites him. Vernon Boyd now has friends that are also his family._

#

A week goes by and Stiles and Derek keep track of Peter’s pack. They have no plan of action, so all they can do is make sure no one gets killed. So far they’ve just been training and enhancing their werewolf abilities.

On Friday morning before Stiles goes downstairs for breakfast he pulls out a package from under his bed. Derek watches him as he walks back towards the werewolf. Stiles opens the package to reveal a book. He hands it over to Derek, “I know you like reading so I got you this, I don’t know if you’ve read it or not, but I think you’ll like it.”

Derek examines the book in his hands. _Dr Jekyll and Mister Hyde._ Derek snorts and looks up to scowl at Stiles. Stiles grins nervously. “You enjoy these jokes way too much.”

Stiles grins at that. Derek probably would’ve killed him for that if he did this when they first met. Like how he smashed his head into the steering wheel for saying ‘I told you so.’ He grabs his bag and turns back around to look at Derek before heading downstairs, “I have a lacrosse game after school today, so I’ll be home late.”

Derek’s already reading his new book, “Good luck, and watch out for the pack, they’re plotting something.”

Stiles nods and heads downstairs. His dad is sitting in the kitchen having some breakfast, “Looks like we’ll be closing that investigation.” Stiles looks up, trying not to grin like a maniac.

His dad rolls his eyes, “They found wolf hairs on both bodies, so they were definitely animal attacks. And the other wounds were inflicted post mortem, so even if we did find whoever it was there’s no point charging them really.”

Stiles almost chokes on his cereal at the news. Wolf hairs! Derek’s not a fugitive anymore! That solves one of their problems, but unfortunately Gerard Argent was still out there with his fucking sword.

#

Stiles goes to his locker, and grabs his stuff as the bell rings. He turns around to head to his classes, but walks right into someone. “Sorry.” He says looking up, and his stomach drops.

“Don’t be.” Erica smirks, and Isaac and Boyd are smiling rather cunningly on either side of her. Stiles glares at Scott who is standing behind them. The corridor clears out and they don’t move to let Stiles go.

“What do you want?” Stiles sighs, tired of their shit already.

 “I thought Peter had made that clear.” Isaac says slowly, his eyes flashing gold. It surprises Stiles slightly. He’s only seen Derek’s blue eyes, and Peter’s red ones.

“Yeah well I said I’m not interested. So move the hell out of my way so I can go to class.” Stiles has had enough. He’s going to snap any second.

“Come on Stiles. Join the pack. Peter is making us stronger, and we’re helping people. Don’t you want to be able to protect your dad?” Scott pipes up from the back, using his puppy dog eyes.

Stiles is fuming, “You can all fuck off. I’m perfectly fine being human. I don’t need claws, or super senses. Got it?”

They all look taken aback by his assertiveness. Isaac’s nose twitches, “You smell like Derek.”

Erica smirks, “Oh, I see. This is about Derek. You’re fine being human because you’ve got him to protect you. Well what’s going to happen when he’s not there anymore? He only hangs around you because he’s hunted. He’ll be gone the second he’s safe. Leaving you and your fragile body here not caring what happens to you.”

Stiles clenches his jaw. He knows she’s trying to wind him up, and he won’t let her have the satisfaction. He leans in close and whispers harshly, “I may not be able to hear your heartbeat, but I know that’s bullshit.” He shoves her out of the way, and storms away from the wolves. He shoots a particularly vicious glare at Scott, the traitor. As he reaches his class he realises Boyd hadn’t said anything.  He doesn’t know whether to be grateful or worried.

#

Stiles is amped for lacrosse tonight. Half the team can’t play because of low grades so Stiles is on the team. He’s playing midfield, and oh how he wishes his dad was here to see him. The whole first half of the game he keeps dropping the ball and getting tackled and honestly it’s no wonder he’s the bench warmer.

Someone from the other team lobs the ball off to the side of the field. Everyone stands around wondering where it went. Stiles spots it. He stares at it for a good few seconds, because holy shit it is right there and he could take it. He runs to it, scoops it up and starts sprinting down the field. The clock is ticking with seconds left. And no one can believe he’s got the ball yet, so they’re all still standing around, dumbstruck.

Heart pounding he runs for the goal. Everything slows down, the crowd is cheering him on in the background, his team mates can’t believe he’s there and his opponents look lost. He pulls his arm back and flicks the stick forward sending the ball flying into the net. He scored! He won the game! The buzzer goes off and everyone is running onto the field. He gets pulled into this massive sweaty group hug. And he’s smiling so wide, his face kinda hurts.

After he’s calmed down and everyone starts heading home, he takes off his protective gear and packs it way into his bag. He walks back to the jeep and chucks his bag into the passenger side. A hand grabs his shoulder firmly, spins him around and then he gets a fist to the face.

#

Stiles had blacked out. He wakes up to find his hands tied behind his back, and his feet tied together. He wriggles around trying to free himself, but just ends up giving himself rope burn. He hears a chuckle, and looks up to see Gerard, the smug bastard. Stiles heart rate picks up, he’s going to die. He looks around for a way out; he’s by the swimming pool, the school swimming pool.

“Your pack will come to save you, and walk right into my trap.” He sneers, looking so fucking proud of his evilness.

Stiles laughs, “Well jokes on you, buddy, I don’t have a pack.”

Gerard smirk, “I wouldn’t be so sure, someone cares enough about you to come and save you.”

Stiles sighs, his is the one time he wishes he had no friends at all. He stares blankly at Gerard, “Wow. Kidnapping the weakest link, how original.”

Gerard is choosing to ignore him.

“You know I’m the sheriff’s son right? You clearly have nothing to lose if you’re kidnapping me.” Stiles thinks about that. Nothing to lose? Dying? “You’re dying aren’t you?”

Gerard smiles bitterly, “You’re a perceptive one.”

Stiles remembers how Derek said he was an Argent. Didn’t the Argents have a code? “Hey? Aren’t you guys supposed to have a code? Or are you too good for morals since your days are numbered?”

Gerard punches him, square in the jaw, and pain shoots up the side of face, and his whole head is throbbing. There’s a loud ringing in his ears, and he slumps to the concrete floor. Gerard goes to his duffle bag and starts setting up some weapons like he didn’t just punch a minor.

Stiles is pissed off, and scared. He’s pissed off at himself for letting himself get beat up by an old man. He’s pissed off because he pushed his best friend away. He’s pissed off because he’s been sneaking around his dad. He concentrates on that anger and hatred; he clings to it, like Derek must do for his anchor. He feels the anger pulse through him, like he can physically _feel_ it.

Gerard makes a choked sound, and he looks up to see the water in the pool swirling around in the air in violent swoops. He gasps, and the water falls to the back to the ground in a cacophonous splash. Shit.


	3. Mind Over Matter

Chapter 3

Gerard is staring at him with wide unbelieving eyes. He’s stalking closer to him, and Stiles flinches expecting another hit. But it never comes.

“How did you do that?” Gerard is looking him up and down, like he is an alien. Maybe he is, considering he just broke physics.

“I-I don’t k-know. I mean my hands are fucking tied, and like I said earlier; weakest link.” Stiles sent him a Derek worthy death glare.

“No. We know about all things supernatural. Every kind of creature that’s been confirmed to exist, but I’ve _never_ seen anything with that much power. What are you!?” Gerard reaches for his gun.

Stiles amber eyes widen, “Woah! Hey, don’t kill me! Jesus the werewolves have more morals than you!”

Gerard rolls his eyes, tightening his grip on his hand gun, “What. Are. You.”

Stiles wriggles away from the old man, “I said I don’t know! I have no idea what happened alright! Now calm the hell down before you do something stupid.”

Gerard stares him down, “You-“ A loud angry howl reverberates through the room. Derek bounds into the room completely wolfed out, his eyes a fierce blue and full of rage. He charges at Gerard knocking him off his feet. He punches him in the face once, and then runs over to Stiles.

Stiles is staring up at Derek with awe. He’s never seen Derek this pissed off, but now looking at him closer he can see that he’s actually alarmed and concerned. The werewolf is slashing the ropes  around his hands and feet.  Stiles is just standing to his feet when he spots Gerard up and in action again, “Look out!”

An arrow shoots through the air and stabs Derek in the back. The wolf stumbles forward a bit, then roars at the hunter.  He spins around and starts running at Gerard. He stumbles, and his body seizes up, howling, he falls into the pool.

Stiles panics.  The wolf hasn’t resurfaced. “DEREK!” He runs and leaps into the pool. He swims down towards Derek’s sinking body. His limbs hurt and throb, but he keeps kicking. Panic and urgency swell in his chest as he realises Derek’s not moving at all. He lets out a scream, which just makes a lot of bubbles, as he uses all his strength to pull Derek up to the surface.

He wraps his arms tight around Derek’s broad chest, and brings them both up for air. He gasps, and quickly wraps Derek’s arm around his neck, and kicks his legs to keep them afloat. He scans the edge of the pool and spots Gerard Argent smiling smugly. “I told you someone would care just enough to save you.”

Stiles is still panicking, because they’re trapped and Gerard is armed. Maybe He can do what he did before. But how the hell did he do it? Think Stiles think. What was he doing before that happened? Hating, he was clinging to hatred like an anchor. Anchor. Maybe he just needs to use an anchor. He’s not really in the mood to hate right now so what can use. He needs something fast. Anything.

Derek makes a sound next to him, and his eyelids flutter open, he’s not wolfed out anymore. He looks around frantically, “I swear to god if you let go-”

Stiles frowns, “Oh my god! Shut up! I’m not letting you go alright! Believe it or not, I like you, and I’d rather have you alive.” He whisper-shouts.

Derek looks up and sees Gerard just watching them with an amused look his face, and his intrigued glance at Stiles. Derek growls.

Stiles’ mind is still trying to cling desperately to anything that could give him power. He looks at Derek, who looks pissed off and angry, but his eyes look frightened and hopeless.  Stiles squeezes his side in reassurance and Derek whips his head around to look at him. Derek’s eyes flash blue and Stiles gets lost in them, a sudden warmth surges through him. He clings to it. He clings on for dear life.

Squeezing his eyes shut he hopes like hell this works. He hears Derek gasp next to him, and Gerard’s pained scream. He tightens his grip on Derek as he feels the water around them start to lower. He feels his feet touch the ground and balances himself to stand and hold Derek’s weight. A sharp tug to his arm snaps him out of it.  He opens his eyes and realises he’s now standing at the bottom of the pool which was now drained. He looks up and blinks a few times because the room is suddenly full of steam.

He watches as a flaming Gerard runs out of the school leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. Stiles looks to Derek and notices that he is no longer paralysed. They climb out of the pool and Stiles clutches Derek’s sleeve and runs. He keeps running pulling Derek along until they’re in the parking lot. They stop running, and Stiles sits down to catch his breath and have a mental break down. He’s well aware of Derek staring at him but he’s not ready to deal with that yet.

“Are you going to explain?” Derek sounds weary, but not accusing.

Stiles wipes his hand over his face, stands up and brushes his hands on his lacrosse pants, “Well, turns out magic is real. I apparently possess power of some kind. And well I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON AND I’M FREAKING OUT!” His vision starts tilting, and all he can hear is the sound of blood rushing in his ears. Oh, so _now_ he has a panic attack. His breathing becomes short and raspy and he looks to Derek pleading.

Derek runs to him and clutches his shoulders scanning him helplessly. He stares at Derek praying he’ll figure something out. Derek gingerly brushes his hands up and down Stiles’ shoulders, and then his forearms and then he gently holds Stiles hands, barely even touching. Stiles’ breathing slows down and he grips Derek’s hands for dear life.

He collects himself, and lets out a shaky breath. “Quite a turn in events.”

Derek and Stiles jump at the sound of a third person. They both turn and scowl at Peter. Peter smiles at the both of them.  “So not the fragile human we thought you were. Thus begging the question, what are you?”

Stiles sighs exasperatedly, “I already went over this with Gerard Argent, I have no idea.”

Peter eyes him curiously, “That sort of magic belongs to the druids, do you know a druid?”

Stiles resists the urge to punch him, “I wouldn’t know, since I just found out that druids exist all of 5 seconds ago.”

Peter arches an eyebrow, “Interesting. Well you better head home, it’s getting dark and you don’t want your father worrying.”

Stiles bolts to his jeep. Shit. Good thing his dad is on the night shift tonight. He hops into the car and speeds home.

#

He races up to his room and continues his earlier freak out. Holy shit! Holy shit. Holy. Shit. He paces around his room rambling to himself. “I controlled water and made a fucking floating marine vortex, because I was dwelling in hate and water was the closest thing nearby.”

He continues to pace around, he picks up a pen and a notebook and writes this shit down to study later. “Then I heated a huge building evaporating an Olympic swimming pool and setting Gerard Argent on fire. Because......”

He freezes, and stands completely still. “What had I clung onto?” He grabs the Aderall from his bedside table and takes one. He’s going to the extra help focussing. He starts pacing again, “What had happened right before I did whatever the hell we can call that?”

He starts tapping the pen against the notebook, “I had looked at Derek...maybe I felt fear for him? No fear feels cold not warm. Happiness? Why the fuck would I be happy while trying not to die? Fondness? That...yeah that works, I mean I like him and he did just save me from being a human punching bag. Fond, I had felt fond. Okay good that’s sorted.”

He collapses face first onto his bed, “Now, where the fuck did I get this power?”

#

_Peter watches as Stiles drives away in his jeep. He turns back to Derek, a smug smile on his lips. “Alright, spit it out.”_

_Derek glares at him, “You know something about this. What do you know?”_

_Peter grins, “Like I said; that power belongs to the druids. And you do know a druid. Deaton.”_

_Derek furrows his brows together, “You think he’ll have answers?”_

_Peter sighs, “He’s the best you’ve got right now. Unless you want that boy wandering around and accidentally exposing magic to everyone.”_

_Derek makes a frustrated sound in the back of his throat._

_Peter smirks, “You’re becoming quite close aren’t you? He’s gotten under your skin.”_

_Derek stares at him with wide eyes and can’t fight the growl that escapes him._

_Peter turns around and starts walking back to his pack, he calls over his shoulder, “I’m surprised at you nephew, trusting this human, and regardless of what just occurred you still trust him.”_

_#_

Stiles looks up at the opening window, he smiles at Derek. The weary look on the werewolf’s face makes him sit up. “Dude what’s wrong? Well except for my Jedi powers.”

Derek snorts. “Nothing, just tired and calming down from earlier.”

Stiles smiles and garbs the notebook, well I had some ideas while you were out. He hands the notebook over for the wolf to read. “Both times when I did something I had clung onto an emotion.”

“Like an anchor.” Derek barely whispers it, and he doesn’t look up.

He smiles, “Yeah, that’s what I thought too.” He watches Derek as he reads the last few lines. Holding his breath he awaits the response. Worst case scenario: Imminent death. Best case scenario: ... Actually he has no idea what the best case scenario would be. Not dying?

Derek looks up at him, and there’s a glint in his eye. Derek sets the notebook down. “You’re fond, of me?” He sounds like he can’t believe it at all and this is coming from a werewolf.

Stiles just nods, “Well yeah, like I told you earlier, I like you and I’d rather not have you dead.”

Derek’s eyes fill with happiness and he looks down and mutters, “I’d rather not have you dead either.”

Stiles only just hears the words, and smiles. “So I guess we’re going to have to figure out all this shit on our own, huh?”

Derek smirks, “Actually, turns out, we do know a druid.”

#

They arrive at the animal clinic and Stiles follows Derek inside. He stops short when he sees Scott. Everything slows down and the two boys just stare at each other. Derek and Deaton walk into another room to leave the boys alone.

Stiles stares at Scott, and it hurts. It hurts because  they don’t see each other anymore. They chose different sides before they even knew there were sides to be chosen. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss him. He missed his best friend. He missed Scott.

“Man, why’d all this shit have to come between us? We’re supposed to be brothers, not enemies in a fucking supernatural war.” Stiles stares at Scott desperately.

Scott sighs, “I don’t know.”

“And why aren’t you upset with breaking up with Allison? Is there someone else? There’s someone else isn’t there?”

Scott glares at him, “So? What if there is?”

Stiles grimaces, “Dude, I just want to be friends again okay? And friends like to know who their friends are dating.”

Scott drops his head to look at his feet. “Isaac.”

Stiles lets that sink in. They are pack mates so that would make them close, and they do seem to get along well. So yeah the only shocking thing to Stiles is that Scott is with someone who isn’t Allison. “That’s cool dude, you’re lucky he’s a wolf too it will make things easier.”

Scott looks up at him, surprised. “Dude this would be easier if you just joined the pack.”

Stiles sighs in agitation, “No. I’m not joining the pack, okay? You wanna know why? Because I’m helping Derek, and he’s helping me. Not to mention Peter is creepy as hell.”

Scott frowns and picks up his bag heading for the door, “I’m going home, so you can see Deaton now.” He leaves.

Stiles spins around to find Deaton and Derek waiting for him. They tell Deaton that they know he’s a druid.

“I’m not just a druid. I am an emissary, a guide for werewolves. I was the hale emissary for quite some time.” Deaton explains.

Derek folds his arms over his chest, “So why didn’t you come and find me after the fire?”

Deaton smiles, “The wolf must seek out the emissary. And it wouldn’t have mattered as you wouldn’t have accepted me as your emissary. In fact I believe you have accepted someone else.” Deaton glances at Stiles.

Stiles eyes widen. What? He’s an emissary? Derek’s emissary? Well that would explain a lot. “But how?”

Deaton grins, “An emissary can be human.”

Derek flinches, “Yeah, about that.”

Stiles thinks for a moment figuring out how to explain it, “I uh, I’m magic. I made a giant levitating marine vortex, and evaporated an Olympic swimming pool whilst also setting Gerard Argent on fire.”

Deaton’s eyes widen, “I thought it was just a legend,” he mutters. “Do you know how you did these things?”

Stiles was glad he’d prepared for this question, “It happens when I focus on an emotion and cling to it.”

Deaton wipes a hand over his face, “There have been legends of a weapon, full of magic and incredibly powerful. The Animus. In fact the most powerful thing known to exist, so powerful that it could control the elements. In fact, it would do exactly what you needed to happen, by any mean possible.”

Derek frowns, “What does the Animus have to do with Stiles?”

Deaton sighs, “Because it’s not a literal weapon like I once thought. Stiles, you are the Animus.”

Stiles gapes.  Him? The fragile human, the most powerful weapon ever? No way this isn’t possible. “What? No. No way, I’m just a human.”

Deaton shakes his head, “You’d be surprised what power a human can possess. Your human body doesn’t determine your power either. Your power is within you, it is your soul.”

Stiles takes a minute or maybe a few hundred. He sits down on the floor and just lets it all sink in. Derek watches him carefully, and continues to talk to Deaton.

“Is there anything else in the legend?” Derek asks nervously.

Deaton pauses for a moment, “There is, although it wouldn’t make sense now that we know it isn’t a weapon but a person. But there were variations on the legend. One of them went something like:  _The Demon Wolf craves power, and this weapon would fulfil his desires. He will get the Animus and he will use it, and he’ll do everything within his power to it obey. Once he has the Animus no one will be able to ever take it from him. Unless...”_

Derek stares at him in horror, “Unless what?”

Deaton sighs, “I don’t know. That’s how it ended; it was like they wanted you to figure it out on your own.”

Derek rubs his temples, “The Demon Wolf?”

Deaton shakes his head, “I have never heard anyone use that title before.”

Stiles decides to stand up on his shaking legs and join the conversation. “So some evil bastard is going use me as his weapon and we don’t know how to stop it, because some smug writer gets his kicks from being pretentiously vague. Great! Let’s throw a party, even invite Peter and his pack.”

#

As Stiles is getting ready for school Derek sits at the desk. His nose twitches and he stands up. Stiles turns to look at him, “Dude what is it?”

Derek frowns, “There’s an alpha in town, wait there’s 2. No. There’s t-there’s a whole pack of them!”

Stiles drops his stuff and stares at Derek in disbelief. “A pack of alphas? How is that possible? Doesn’t that like break wolf physics?”

Derek knits his eyebrows together in concern. “I’m coming with you today.”

Stiles makes some sound of protest, “No, someone could see you! What will the other pack do?  You can’t just lurk around the school.”

Derek completely ignores him and puts on his leather jacket. The Sheriff is still home, so Stiles just rolls his eyes as Derek climbs out the window. Stiles grabs his bag and heads downstairs.

His dad looks up at him clearly waiting for an answer to some unasked question. “What?”

The Sheriff frowns in confusion, “I’m guessing the Camaro waiting outside is for you?”

Stiles lets his jaw hang slack. Clearly Derek didn’t understand the term ‘sneaking.’ Also how the hell had he driven it here so fast? He scratches his neck nervously, “Yeah, I’m doing this science project thing, and that would by my partner outside.” He hates lying to his dad.

“You’re not working with Scott?” Hs dad looks slightly put out.

“Uh, yeah. Scott’s working with his new friend Isaac.” At least this was half true.

His dad looks upset, probably because he can tell that Stiles feels replaced. His dad nods and leaves it be for now.

“See ya dad!” He calls over his shoulder as he runs out the front door. He runs straight to the Camaro, yanking the door open and bundling inside.

He turns to Derek and just gives him an accusatory look. “Really? You do realise you’re supposed to be hiding from my dad?”

Derek nods, “But I’m not a suspect anymore.”

Stiles laughs, “Yeah, but we don’t really have an excuse for me to be hanging out with some random.... How old are you?”

Derek rolls his eyes, “24 as a human. Wolf aging works differently.”

Stiles widens his eyes, “Great, people will probably think you’re trying to kidnap me.”

#

When they arrive at school Derek’s face pales. Stiles watches him wearily, “They’re here?”

Derek nods slowly, “Two of them.”

Stiles sighs, gets out of the car, hauls his bag onto his back and starts trudging to class. A hand on his shoulder makes him stops. He turns around to a scowling Derek.

“What?”

“That’s it? No paranoia? Just calmly walking towards potential murderers?”

He sighs and bows his head, “I’m tired, okay? I’m only human, and constantly running for my life is tiring. Also I’m too busy being paranoid over whatever the hell I am. So I know you’re watching out for me, and I appreciate that, I do, but I need to get to class and pretend I have a normal life.”

Derek is almost pouting. Pouting! “I’ll be around. Call if you need me.”

He’s about to walk off to class when he remembers something, “That reminds me. I don’t have your number.” They exchange numbers and Stiles waves as he walks away. “Just don’t text me during class, I may be forced to read the message out loud as punishment.”

#

His first class stars he same way it always does, droning teacher, homework reminders and everyone complaining. Then the principal walks in with a pair of twins in tow. These guys are tan, incredibly buff and the girls are already fawning over their cute faces. They’re introduced as Ethan and Aiden.

Stiles flinches at Scott’s growl from in front of him. He starts to panic thinking his former best friend is about to wolf out in class. He watches Isaac reach for Scott’s hand under the desk, he holds it firmly, and Scott calms down. Stiles smiles faintly, he’s glad Scott has someone who can do that for him.

He calms down himself, until the twins take a seat on either side of him. Both of them look at him with an innocent smile. Stiles doesn’t need to be a wolf to know that these two are the alphas Derek was worrying about.

He gets through the first 2 classes without any issues from them. Then on his way to economics they corner him at his locker. There’s plenty of people milling around so he knows they won’t kill him. He eyes them nervously, “What do you want? I’m just a human; go bother the wolves around here.”

Ethan and Aiden exchange a look, they smirk and turn back to Stiles. “You may not be a wolf, but you’re definitely someone’s pet. Who do you belong to then? The blonde?”

Stiles grimaces, he doesn’t belong to anyone let alone Erica. “I don’t belong to anyone but myself. And I don’t associate with that pack.”

The twins look confused. “But if you don’t belong to them, then why do you smell like a wolf?”

Shit. Derek’s scent probably rubbed off on him from being in the Camaro and being around him 24/7. “My friend’s a wolf.”

“There’s a wolf in this town not in the pack?” The twins actually look concerned, and Stiles feels a bit triumphant at that.

“Yeah and he doesn’t appreciate you threatening me.” He leans back against his locker, smirking up at them.

Aiden smiles innocently, but Stiles caught the flash of red. The wolf reaches out a t hand and grips Stiles’ shoulder in what looks like a friendly gesture is actually a painful threat. Sharp bursts of pain sting his shoulder, but he bites his lip and holds his composure.

There’s a growl from down the hall, and both the twins look over instantly. Stiles slumps in relief as Aiden lets go of him. “I told you he wouldn’t like that.” He breaths his words out, the pain taking a bit out of him.

The identical walls of muscle that claim to be werewolves step back. “You’re not worth our time anyway. More important things out there, like the Animus.”

Stiles flinches but the wolves don’t notice. They basically just announced they were hunting him down. Good thing they still think they’re looking for an object. An undertone of panic stats setting its roots in Stiles’ mind, he was going to have a very stressful week. He turns around to open his locker and pull out his red hoodie. He eyes the corridor suspiciously at the sound of a snicker.

#

_Derek waits until Stiles has walked off to his class until turning around to face his snickering Uncle. “What?”_

_Peter composes himself and keeps a smug smirk plasters on his face. “I just find it rather amusing; the big bad wolf watching out for little red riding hood. It’s endearing really.”_

_Derek full on death glares him. “I’m not the big bad wolf.”_

_Peter tilts his head to the side in consideration, “No you’re not. You’re more like the grumpy wolf that creeps around a high school.”_

_Derek rolls his eyes, “You of all people shouldn’t be lecturing me about creeping around a high school.”_

_Peter grins. “So I’m guessing you’re concerned about the alpha pack.”_

_Derek continues to frown, his Uncle’s presence just has that effect on people. “Yes. It is after all, a pack of alphas.”_

_“Do you have any idea as to why they are here?”_

_Derek flinches. He’d over heard what the twins had been saying. They want Stiles, they don’t know it, but that’s what they’re looking for. The Animus, his innocent friend. Friend? When had Stiles become his friend? He’s supposed to be just a kid who knew too much and got himself in trouble. But then he had to go and help Derek, he had to give him a home (even if it was a secret one that involved a lot of sneaking) he had to care about him. He had to go and make himself pack. Stiles had become the closest thing to a pack that Derek could have, and his wolf would not let that go. His wolf craves it._

_“They want something. But they’re not getting it, not without going through me.”_

_He could feel Peter eyeing him curiously. His Uncle knows he’s hiding something from him, because he’s smart and pays attention._

_“And no I’m not going to tell you what it is. Because you’d probably want it too.”_

_He turns to look at Peter who just looks plain offended. They’re both silent for a moment, and Derek can feel the question before it’s even being asked._

_“Derek, just join the pack. Stop being a stubborn Omega.”_

_“No.” He growls._

_“This is because of Stiles isn’t it?” Peter is leering, but he also looks genuinely intrigued which is a disturbing facial expression to witness._

_Derek looks anywhere but Peter. “I’m not an Omega.”_

_Peter folds his arms across his chest. “How so?”_

_Derek takes a deep breath, “Omega’s are lone wolves. I’m not alone, not anymore.”_

_Peter’s lips twitch. “He’s pack? You let the hyperactive teenager be your pack?”_

_Derek scowls, “I didn’t **let** him, he hasn’t asked. He just is.”_

_His uncle looks shocked then serious, “That is a powerful thing, powerfully dangerous.”_

_Peter doesn’t know how true his words are, concerning Stiles. The truth of it scares him. He has never felt such a pure and honest fear in his life. Sure the unknown is scary, but once you’ve had a small glimpse it’s terrifying._

#

Stiles decides to try and figure out what the hell he is. So that’s how he finds himself in the library during lunch, researching things he’s never looked into before. His first go to for research is to find out what Animus means. Turns out it’s of Latin origin and has several meanings: _mind, heart, soul, feeling, affections, temper, spirit, courage and purpose._

He sits back and stares at the computer screen. All those words defined what he knew of his power, to a terrifying accuracy. These words have such meaning and passion behind them. They aren’t soft generic words, these words hold power. But Stiles has never defined himself with such importance before, why should he? He was supposed to just be the hyperactive bench-warming virgin.

He leaves the library and just wanders around the empty back lot of the school. He kicks at the pebbles as he tries not to think of what he’s capable of. Suddenly he’s pushed up against the concrete wall, and two sets of red flashing eyes are drilling into him.

“You’re hanging around with an Omega. Why?” Aiden snarls out at him.

He takes a moment to access the fact that both the twins are shirtless and have unfair muscles. Like seriously it’s like they’re fucking photo shopped. Now that he thinks about, how hasn’t anyone snapped his arms off yet? I mean everyone he knows could easily do it.

“Because I plan to have the awesome demise of death by werewolf.” He smirks even as a vicious set of fangs are flashed at him.

“What would Derek Hale need you for? You his pet? Or are you just his fragile human bitch?” The twins are leering.

Stiles is fuming, and he tries to tone it down. He can’t have them of all people knowing what he is. But they crossed too many lines just then. They hit his insecurities right where they hurt most. “I’m no one’s bitch.”

“Could’ve fooled us.”

He’s puffing air out through his nose, but he’s not calming down, not at all. He’s trying not to focus on his emotions, but he had his Aderall not long ago and his focus is kind of perfect right now.

“He’s a pathetic lone wolf, and he latched onto the first person to care about him. No one else cares, except for you, how stupid are you? He doesn’t care about you. He’s using you. He uses you for survival, and once he doesn’t need that he’ll be gone. He’ll leave you because you’re just a stupid human who got in the way.”

The sky had been slowly getting darker and darker as Aiden kept up his torment, and now it was definitely thunderous. Loud rolling booms echoed from the sky and sent shocking jolts to the ground.

Ethan eyes the sky wearily while Aiden leans in close and stares makes murderous eye contact with Stiles. He whispers, slowly and clearly making sure every word shreds Stiles’ heart, “He. Hates, You.”

A blinding white flash shoots down from the sky, momentarily blinding him. Aiden lets go of him and roars. Stiles falls the ground on his ass. Scrambling away he watches as Aiden crumples to the ground, Ethan nursing him. Shit, Fuck, Damn it, he lost control. His heartbeat is racing, as he watches the twins, waiting for them to get up and kill him. But they seem to be ignoring his existence completely. He searches the sky and notices flashes of lightning hitting elsewhere as well. What luck, they must think it was a freak lightning strike.

He gets up on shaky legs and backs away from the scene. He walks into the shadows backwards and walks into something. He whips around and comes face to face with Derek. Stiles’ eyes are wide and he hadn’t realised he we was crying until now. He doesn’t know if Derek had heard the taunting speech and honestly he doesn’t want to know not right now.

Derek is frowning at him, and Stiles backs away from him. The twins were right, Derek only needs him for survival. He hangs around him because Stiles provides him with shelter and help when needed, not because he wants to. He runs away.

Stiles is getting good at running, especially when it’s a way from his problems. He makes it to the tree line, when he hears feet behind him. He picks up his speed and starts dodging trees and rocks. Unfortunately he makes it about another 10 feet before he’s being tackled to the ground. He gets flipped around before they hit the ground. Derek softens his fall.

He looks down at the werewolf under him. Derek’s eyes are wide, worried and _blue._ Derek grips his bicep firmly, making sure he won’t bolt off again, and sits up so they’re next to each other. Derek doesn’t even ask why he ran, he just sits there waiting. Stiles fights the grip on his arm with a passion. He tries with all his might to get away but Derek won’t budge.

He sighs and stops resisting, it’s exhausting and not worth the effort anymore. He glares at Derek, “Let me go.”

“No.”

Stiles scoffs, “Why the hell not?”

Derek stares him dead in the eye, “Tell me why you ran.”

Stiles is always bubbling to speak his thoughts, although he has a mental filter for everyone’s benefit. But without Scott being around lately he hasn’t had anyone to listen to his endless rambling shit. And now he has someone who wants to listen but _he’s_ what he needs to ramble about. He takes a deep breath and thinks _fuck it._

“You only need me around for survival. And that kinda hurts okay, I mean I have no friends anymore. Even Scott’s replaced me with his pack, and that’s my own fucking fault. You’re the closest thing I have to a friend and you’re not even that are you? You’re a guy who needed a place to stay and I showed some common courtesy. You only hang around me because you _have_ to. When everything has calmed down, and people don’t want you dead, you’re going to leave. You will. Everyone leaves eventually whether they want to or not. They always do.”

He dares to look up and what he sees is, surprising. Derek looks gutted. The werewolf looks like he just got told a war story. And honestly it wasn’t far from it.

“Your heart stayed steady.” Derek whispers.

Wait? What the fuck does that have to do with anything.

Derek looks at him. _Really looks at him._ He looks like he’s seeing Stiles for the first time. Like he’s just been told the god awful truth that Santa isn’t real and that monsters are everywhere. And it’s Stiles fault.

“You believe it. All of it.” Derek’s shaking his head, “Why do you believe that?”

Stiles just frowns at him, confused. Is Derek stupid? “Because it’s true.”

Derek lets go of his arm. He looks wounded and devastated. “It’s not.” Derek grabs his wrist and Stiles panics thinking he’s going to attack him. Derek simply holds Stiles’ hand up to his and makes him press down on his pulse. “If I lie, you’ll know.”

Stiles frowns, and the sensation of Derek’s pulse thudding against his fingers makes his arm tingle. He gasps when he realises Derek’s going to talk to him, and he’s levelling out the playing field. He’s making sure Stiles has his advantage.

“I enjoy spending time with you. Even if I was staying in my own house I’d still be sneaking in through your window to see you. I don’t use you for survival. In case you haven’t noticed I’m not very concerned on whether I die, even at the hands of my Uncle. And you are my friend. I don’t have friends either, okay, it was never really my thing, but then you showed up and you cared. You _cared._ That is more than anyone has done for me in a long time. I’m not leaving, not anytime soon. I can’t leave without my pack.”

Stiles stares at him, his mouth hanging so far open it might as well be brushing the ground. Derek had just spoken full sentences. Sentences, plural! And he hadn’t lied. Wait a second... “Pack? What pack? You’re an Omega. Did you join Peter’s pack? Oh god please tell me you didn’t join your creepy ass uncle.”

Derek is faintly smiling. Smiling! “No I didn’t join Peter.”

Stiles lets out a sigh of relief, “Then who’s your pack?”

Derek smiles just a little bit more, “You.”

“Me?”

Derek’s flat out grinning, “Yes you. Deaton was right, you’re my emissary. My guide. And you treat me like pack.”

Stiles smiles, “Since I’m human do I still get a rank?”

“Kind of. You’re my equal. So if you were a wolf, you’d be a Beta.”

Stiles grins, glad to be an equal with someone like Derek. “But how are we a pack without an Alpha?”

Derek shrugs, “We’re not a full functioning pack. More like a family.”

A family of 2. He was used to this, he smiles bitterly, “A 2 person wolf pack?”

Derek looks sad for him, “A pack is a pack no matter how small.”

Stiles snorts, “You did not just quote Dr. Seuss.”

“Deal with it.”

#

_Peter stands in the centre of the school field. He stands with his feet apart in his dominating Alpha stance. Everyone is in class which makes this the perfect time for a pack meeting. Erica and Boyd walk calmly towards him, hand in hand. Scott and Isaac stumble towards him basically joined at the hip._

_“As much as I love getting out of class, is this really necessary?” Erica drawls. She’d gotten a complete makeover after she was turned. Now she is that hot girl that every guy wants a piece of._

_“Completely necessary. We’re going to see Deucalion.” Peter allows himself to smirk smugly._

_“Deucalion? The guy who calls himself ‘Death Destroyer of Worlds’? We’re going to chat with that guy?” Isaac is staring at Peter like he’s insane, which to be fair is kind of true._

_“Yes. He’s in our territory, which means we need to know why he’s here.”_

_#_

After school, Stiles sits in his room trying to figure out his chemistry homework. Mr Harris is a dick and no one was going to convince Stiles otherwise. It’s like the guy hates him, and seriously when someone is nice to Jackson Whittemore but mean to Stiles that’s usually a sign of extreme douchebag-ness.

Derek is going through his draws chucking his clothes all over the floor. “Hey what the hell are you doing?”

Derek briefly glances over his shoulder, “Looking for a shirt.” Derek pauses then strips off his grey Henley, tossing it to the floor.

Stiles tries- he really does- not to stare at Derek’s perfectly muscled body. Seriously what the fuck? The dude was basically photo shopped.  He clears his throat, “Is walking around without a shirt on and being really buff a werewolf thing? Because I’m sensing a pattern.”

Derek just snorts, and continues rifling through Stiles’ stuff. Normally Stiles would be up and across the room dragging him away from his clothes. Because those were his clothes which not even his friends would rummage through. But he wasn’t normal, specially not now anyway.

“Dude seriously why are you looking for a shirt in there? Those are my clothes, for me, me being me and not you.”

Derek rolls his eyes, and takes one of his shirts pulling it over his head. It’s a plain black one and it’s just a bit tight, showing Derek’s sculpted figure. Stiles shoves his homework aside, he was never going to focus on that now.

“Dude won’t that mess with your wolfy smell thing?”

Derek frowns at him, looking like a confused puppy. Puppy being the operative word. “It just mixes our scents together.”

Stiles thinks that over. The twins knowing about him hanging out with Derek now makes a  lot more sense.  He stands up to face Derek, “And mixing our scents together doesn’t mean anything to your wolf?”

Derek jolts at that and he goes to say something when his bedroom door opens. “Stiles could you-“

His dad is standing in his doorway looking very confused. First he looks at Derek which makes him frown then he sees all the clothes on the floor and his eyebrows shoot up. Stiles was going to die of embarrassment, that would be what he’d be remembered for.

“I-uh, I can explain that this is not whatever you think that this situation might be. Not to say that this is in fact a situation but-“

“Downstairs. Now.” His dad looks dead serious. “You too.” Derek looks terrified but he doesn’t go to blame Stiles. In fact he looks a bit guilty.

They sit down at the dining table and Stiles legs are jittering violently. Derek is sitting opposite him and his dad is sitting between them. Oh god his dad’s about to go into to Sheriff mode.

“I thought you said you didn’t know where he was?” His dad doesn’t look mad. Yet. Just confused and worried.

“I didn’t! I mean he’s just gotten back here from New York and lost his luggage, and we uh, we ran into each other and I said I’d help out.” Stiles’ heart rate had sky rocketed, and he was now trying to calm himself down to make it believable.

His dad just looks disappointed in him. “Stiles, I saw Derek around town over a week ago. So stop lying, and tell me the truth now.”

Stiles is shaking and he’s on the verge of a mental and emotional breakdown. He’s about o spin off another lie when Derek beats him to it.

“It’s my fault. I needed a place to stay and Stiles offered. I tried to tell him ‘no’ but he’s the most stubbornly persistent person I know. So I’ve been staying here for a few weeks, we were going to tell you but then I became a wanted person and we didn’t think that ‘staying in Stiles’ room’ was a viable alibi. I’m sorry.”

Stiles just stares at Derek in awe for 2 reasons. 1. Holy shit he just saved their asses, and 2. Derek just spoke full sentences to his dad who is the Sheriff. If Derek hadn’t been here to explain, he’d be grounded and banned from ever seeing Derek again.

His dad looks stunned. “How long will you be staying here for?”

Derek smiles faintly, “Until I can find a place for myself. Not many options in Beacon Hills.”

The Sheriff nods, and sends Derek back up to Stiles’ room. Stiles goes to follow him but his dad stops him. “We’re having a talk.”

They sit down in the lounge across from each other. His dad isn’t in sheriff mode so clearly this is going to be more of a ‘concerned father’ talk. “So, how do you know Derek Hale?”

Stiles grins because that story is kind of funny, and he wishes he could tell his dad but he can’t. “Remember how I liked to wander around the woods?”

His dad perks up a bit, “Yeah, you were always out there. Trying to find something to do, you and Scott hoping to find something. Why?”

Stiles is grateful for how easy these lies are becoming. But he hates it too, “I met him there one day, while I was wandering around alone. I may have stumbled into his old house and he may have threatened me, but we talked. Well, I talked, and we have common interests and we became sort of friends. I found out he had nowhere to stay so I offered he stay here.”

His dad is eyeing him suspiciously. “Where has he been sleeping?”

Oh my god. His dad thinks he’s banging Derek Hale. Well his expectations are way too high and Derek is way out of his league. “On the floor. I was going to sleep on the floor! But he was stubborn with his morals and so his grumpy ass has been sleeping on the floor ever since. I may have slept on the floor too, out of guilt.”

His dad sighs and rubs a hand down his face. “You know you can tell me anything, right? Anything at all.”

His dad will never know how much those words hurt. Because werewolves and magic and this whole other world that he wants to share with him, but he can’t. He is, however, well aware that those words are aimed at his sexuality. And honestly, he would talk about this if he knew for himself what was going on for him. Kind of difficult when you’ve only ever liked one person for the last 6 years.

“Yeah, I know.”

His dad hugs him and says goodnight. Stiles runs back up to his room to see Derek picking up all his shirts. He sits down on his bad and watches the werewolf clean up.

“I’m sorry.”

Stiles looks up, “What? Dude no, this isn’t your fault.”

Derek shakes his head. “I’m sorry you have to lie to your dad.”

He sighs, he couldn’t argue with that. He lies back on his bed and stares up at the blank ceiling. He wishes he could have some glow in the dark stars up there to look at.

“You clearly trust me now, so I have to ask. How did you know Kate Argent?”

Derek freezes, and turns to face Stiles. “I dated her.”

Stiles sits up, this is getting interesting. “A werewolf dating a hunter. Okay that is exactly what happened with Scott, although Allison is technically not a hunter but still. So what happened?”

Derek sits down on the floor and crosses his legs, “I told her, what I was. She acted. She pretended that she was just an older girl who completely understood and would love me no matter what.”

Stiles watches the pain flow over Derek and it hurts him just to see the man like this.

“I left the door unlocked one morning so she could come and visit me that afternoon. I was at school; the police showed up and drove me to the house. It was up in flames. My family is dead and it’s my fault.”

Stiles drops down to the ground next to Derek. He reaches out and holds Derek firmly by his shoulders. He looks into those hazel eyes and sees the pain and self loathing glaring back.

“It’s not your fault. She was an evil bitch and she used you. It’s not your fault okay?”

Derek looks up at him. “Why do you trust me?”

Stiles stares at him, mouth agape. “Who else am I supposed to trust? And in case you haven’t noticed, I care about you because you’re my friend.”

Derek frowns, “I don’t have friends.”

Stiles grimaces, “Neither do I. I only have one.”

#

_Peter and the pack show up at the apartment building around noon. They all pile into the elevator and head to the Alpha pack’s apartment._

_“Werewolves living in an apartment building. There’s a joke there somewhere.” Isaac laughs to himself._

_The elevator stops and they all walk towards the door at the far end of the hall. The door is already open and a dark skinned female werewolf is standing in the doorway waiting for them. Peter remembers her as Kali._

_“The mutts are here.” She calls out behind her._

_Peter feels the whole pack flinch at the insult. He gives them a look and they walk into the apartment. It’s big and spacious, wooden floors, expensive furniture, and light calm colours everywhere. The pack stands together in the middle of the room facing a man with his back to them._

_The man turns around. He’s wearing a grey jumper, black glasses and is holding a cane. He has a slight upturn in his lips like he has everything exactly where he needs it. This is obviously Deucalion, the Alpha of Alphas._

_“You must be Peter Hale.” Deucalion states in an unnervingly calm manner._

_“And you must be the one invading my territory.” Pater retorts._

_Deucalion smirks, “We are merely passing through, we are only saying on the account that something we want is here.”_

_Peter frowns in confusion, “What’s here that you could possibly want?”_

_Deucalion takes a step forward, “Have you heard of The Animus?”_

_“I’ve heard the legends.”_

_“Well these supposed legends are not legends at all. The Animus is here, in Beacon Hills, and I intend to have it.”_

_Peter’s eyes flash red, “And what if I tell you to get the hell out of my territory?”_

_Deucalion steps closer, “You’re threatening me? Do you have any idea who I am?”_

_Peter stands his ground as the pack backs away from him, trying to creep out the door._

_Deucalion’s eyes burn red, he throws his head back and roars, lightning and thunder flash and rumble, “I. AM. THE. DEMON WOLF.”_

 

 

 


	4. Mates and Martyrdom

The scream echoes throughout Beacon Hills. The ringing sound of it hits Stiles’ ears and he’s awake in a flash. He knows that scream, “Lydia.” Running as fast as he can, he races to the Camaro where Derek is already in the driver’s seat and starting up the engine. They’re driving through Beacon Hills way over the speed limit, and Stiles can feel his heart thumping quickly. The car lurches to a stop at the edge of the forest.

They scramble out of the car and start running into the eerie depths of the forest. “The woods, again, seriously?” Stiles puffs out as he tries to keep up with Derek.

“I mean, dude, this is becoming cliché, not to mention a little concerning.”

Stiles shuts up at the sight of Jackson up ahead, tied to a tree, and Lydia obviously tied to the other side hidden from them. He hears Derek wolfing out next to him. Just as the super powered man is running to save the couple an evil cackle ripples through the air. Stiles turns towards the sound and sees a smug woman wearing a black dress, her arms crossed over her chest.

Stiles throws his arms up in exasperation, “Why can it never be easy? Just once, a simple save the trapped people, would be nice.”

The woman smirks, and holds out her hand forcefully, Derek goes flying back towards Stiles. The werewolf looks grumpy and confused, he leaps to his feet to face the threat at hand.

“Oh sweetie, don’t trip over your tail. I only took two, and they’re not even that nice.” The woman’s eyes are sparkling with mischief.

Lydia and Jackson squawk out an offended, “Hey!”

Stiles rolls his eyes, “As true as that may be, you still can’t just fucking kidnap people. Also how did we hear that scream from the other side of town?”

The woman sighs, looking bored and annoyed, “Princess over there is a banshee.”

Stiles frowns, “Lydia?”

The woman rolls her eyes, “Screaming’s here talent. She’s a living death bell. Hear her scream and someone’s gonna get it.”

Derek growls, “You’re gonna get it alright.” He charges at her, fangs bared and ready to rip into flesh.

The woman holds her hands up lazily, and Derek hits an invisible barrier, and falls to the forest floor slightly winded. Of course, she’s a witch, of fucking course. Stiles has had enough of this supernatural shit. They’ve got enough issues with a miniature teenage army run by a certain creepy uncle, and then there’s the mysterious pack of alphas lurking around, and then to top it off; there’s still hunters out for Derek’s head.

“Can you just let them go, it’s been a busy week and I’ve got homework to do, so can you like not be a major pain in the ass today?” Stiles sighs, trudging slowly towards her.

The woman looks taken aback and intrigued. She cautiously stands her ground, she looks down at Derek curled up on the ground, “Seriously? You brought this _kid_ as your back up. A human one too. Who’d you piss off to stoop to such lows?”

Stiles clenches his jaw, but remains calm. He’s also trying to ignore Jackson’s freaked out face which is staring at wolfed-out Derek. He steps closer to the witch again, and she eyes him suspiciously.

“You. You have energy, rare energy. _Strong energy._ Who are you?” She holds up her hands threateningly.

“Just a human kid.” He smiles as he throws her words back at her.

“No, not even a master witch has that much power. Stay back!” She conjures up a fireball in each hand, and gets ready to shoot.

Stiles panics slightly, okay he should probably tap into his power now. He glances wearily at Derek, who is getting to his feet and running to free Jackson and Lydia. The witch seems unfazed by her victims being set free, she’s a bit too occupied with Stiles.

He needs a feeling to hold on to. Any feeling, just something strong enough. He thinks, but it’s Saturday morning which is filled with laziness and isn’t meant for strong emotions. Ugh he was going to die because he was calm! He thinks back to a memory. _The fear he felt the first time Derek randomly appeared in his room uninvited, the thought of imminent death, and the shock._

He closes his eyes and lets the old faded feeling wrap around his heart and tap into his power. He feels the wind whooshing around the forest and smirks as the witch gasps. He opens his eyes and studies his effect. Tree roots had burst from the ground and were now tangled firmly around the witch’s legs, and she was also mummified with dried leaves.

“Y-you’re, th-the,” she breathes out, her voice lost in fear.

Stiles smirks, “The Animus.” He peers over his shoulder and sighs in relief as Derek drags Jackson and Lydia out of the forest.

He turns back to the witch who is now smirking at him. “Got yourself a pet?”

Stiles frowns, “What?”

“That handsome wolf. He’s very loyal to you, which is bizarre as he reeks of trust issues.”

Stiles clenches his fists. “He’s not my pet. He’s my friend.”

“Friend? Odd choice of word. I would’ve gone more along the lines of ‘Token of my Affections,’ or ‘My cliché teenage crush.’”

Stiles really wants to punch her, like _really_ badly. But he resists. His anger dies down a bit too, because what the witch is saying, it’s hitting a soft spot in Stiles. But she’s wrong, right? She has to be. Right?

The doubt must’ve shown on Stiles’ face because the witch is cackling. “Wow. The all powerful and unstoppable Animus is you, this fragile teenage boy who is freaking out over a little crush. I have now seen it all.”

Something in him snaps. “You know what? You’re right. I am fragile; someone could kill me with a flick of their wrist. And I am just human teenage boy, who is just plain old normal. And yeah maybe I do have a crush maybe I don’t and maybe I’m freaking out over it. So what? I get put down, pushed aside, ignored and sat on the bench; and I fucking deal with it! And yeah, I may not be upfront in amongst all the main action, but I can actually do something! For once in my fucking life, I can do something! I am a fucking magical powerhouse, and I am stronger than _you!_ So mock me all you want, because I don’t give a shit. For the first time in my life I’m the one with all the cards and I will play them all and I will win, or die trying.”

He starts panting, heaving in air with his whole body. He glances up momentarily and watches the leaf tornado subside and die down into nothing. He really needs to work on that control. Turning to walk away, he spins on his heel and stomps off.

“Hidden.”

He spins around to face the witch, for what he hopes is the last time. “What?”

“Hidden. You, The Animus. The legend says you are hidden. But it fails to state that you’re hidden in plain sight. Everyone has had you within their reach but they’ve been so blinded that they’ve been turning down exactly what they’re looking for. Like a diamond in the rough.”

Stiles blinks, and for once in his life is speechless.

“Oh and there’s another piece of the legend. It’s rare and known by few, but I like you, so I’ll tell you.The legend states another character. The Martyr. He is a nobody, just a poor lonely man. He has no business with The Demon Wolf, not really, but he does have business with justice. He’s the one who will face the Demon Wolf, because he strives to save The Animus from its abuse to its power. He shouldn’t even be in the picture but he cares, even if he doesn’t show it very often he cares. He cares about The Animus. The legend is left unfinished, and now knowing that The Animus is a person, means that it’s because the story could end in several ways.”

Stiles stares at her in shock, “What is with this fucking cryptic legend? Why is there no straightforward answer?”

The witch just rolls her eyes. “I was trying to help you. The Martyr. He’s your wolf.”

Stiles stills, “Derek? But Martyr means to willingly die. Derek’s not going to die, not until he’s old and gone grey.”

The witch holds up her hands in defence, “Don’t blame me, I don’t write your damn story.”

Stiles grumbles, “Well whoever does deserves a slap, with a book.”

#

On Sunday Stiles is chilling in his room alone, Derek’s gone out to follow the alpha pack, and is seriously reconsidering letting the witch walk free. His dad is at work, like always, so he has the place to himself. The doorbell rings, and of all the strange things in his life that has to be the strangest thing to happen. Because who would visit Stiles? Unless they need life-or-death help.

He walks downstairs and opens the door to find Jackson Whittemore standing on his porch. He blinks 3 times just to make sure he isn’t having some horribly strange nightmare. “Hey Jackson, what would make you act so out of character on this fine day?”

Jackson glares at him, “The bite, you’re going to get a wolf to bite me.”

Stiles steps back, “Well as much as I would like to see you in physical pain, I don’t see why you’d want my help with that.”

Jackson rolls his neck, and is looking seriously pissed. “No you idiot. I want to be a werewolf. Like your creepy friend.”

Stiles scrunches up his nose, “Why the hell would you want that?”

Jackson steps into Stiles’ personal space, clearly trying to intimidate him, “Why do you think? Being faster and stronger, I’d be the best lacrosse player in Beacon Hills.”

Stiles frowns, “Dude, it’s not worth it, trust me. You’ll be hunted by werewolf hunters, and by other werewolves.”

Jackson rolls his eye, “Then why do you hang out with one? He your boyfriend?”

Stiles clenches his jaw, “Stay out of it. It’s dangerous alright, more dangerous than you know.”

Jackson smirks and chuckles, “Dangerous? I’ll tell you what’s dangerous. What are you gonna do, when your stupid _bitch_ of a boyfriend turns on you?”

Before he knows what’s happening, his fist is pulled back and then flying right at Jackson’s stupidly perfect face. The collision leaves Stiles’ knuckles busted up and Jackson with a bloody nose. Stiles runs inside and locks the door behind him, before Jackson decides to return the favour. He leans against the door trying to catch his breath and trying to ignore the intense throbbing pain shooting through his hand.

“What happened?”

Stiles jumps, he thought he’d been home alone. He looks up to see Derek looking concerned. Concerned was a good look on him. “What? Nothing, it’s fine, I’m fine.” He scratches his neck with his bad hand, and winces.

Derek steps forward and gently pulls his hand out for inspection. He studies the mottled bruises and swollen knuckles attentively. “Does it hurt?”

Stiles swallows and nods.

Then Derek is holding is wrist firmly, and it feels strange. Like the pain is being sucked out of his body. He looks down at his wrist to see his veins standing out and they’re black. But that’s not the most concerning thing, his veins seem to be flowing to where Derek’s gripping his arm.

“What are you doing?”

Derek looks up, “Taking your pain.”

Taking his pain? He can do that? Why would he do that?

“Is that a werewolf thing?”

Derek smiles, “Yeah, we use it to heal pack members mostly. Because when part of the pack is hurt it affects the rest of the pack.”

Stiles decides to take a chance, “I’m pack?”

Derek stills for a moment, and looks up to meet his eyes. He looks sincere and slightly surprised, “Well yeah, you’ve saved my life enough times.”

Stiles smirks, “Pack is more than that.”

Derek rolls his eyes, “And you’re loyal, and you care about me for some unforeseeable reason.”

Stiles hits him lightly, and they both grin at each other. Derek loosens his grip on his wrist as he stops draining the pain. The man looks down at him with cool serious eyes, “What happened?”

He smiles wryly, “Jackson. He wants the bite, so I punched him. Maybe it knocked some sense into him.”

Derek looks pissed, like ‘I wanna kill something’ level of pissed. He eyes the werewolf wearily, because he is in fact a werewolf and could actually kill someone.

“I’m gonna kill him.” Derek mutters.

See? This is what he means.

“Dude, as helpful as that would be, you really shouldn’t do that.”

Derek gives him a pointed look, full on communicating with those expressive eyebrows of his. He holds out his hand to show that he’s fine.

“See it’s not even that bad,” he wiggles his fingers and winces in pain.

Derek’s frowning and looking oddly possessive.

#

_Peter is watching the alpha twins, keeping tabs on whether or not they’ve found what they’re looking for. He’s watching Aiden closely as the boy is suspiciously flirting with Lydia. Isn’t Lydia dating Jackson? Or did they break up again? Who knows? Peter is disrupted from his thoughts as a yelp of fear erupts behind him. He spins around to see Derek holding Jackson against a locker by his throat._

_Seeing Jackson in so much fear is probably one of the most amusing things Peter has seen. Why is his nephew threatening a teenager? He listens in to the conversation._

_“You stay away from him. Got it?” Derek growls, his death threat quite serious._

_Jackson is shaking, that’s just how scared he is, “Whatever you want! Just don’t kill me!”_

_Derek roughly lets go of Jackson and storms out of the school leaving the teenager to slump against the lockers catching his breath._

_“That was a curious set of events.” Peter mutters to himself. Derek had clearly been talking about Stiles. His nephew was becoming awfully attached to the boy. He could tell they were pack; that much was painfully obvious. Derek having a human as his pack was definitely new, the wolf had been cautious of humans as a kid. Everything is strange, so very very strange._

#

Stiles drops his bag in his room and prepares for a night alone playing videogames. It’s a full moon and Derek said he had shit to do. Stiles isn’t sure what sort of wolfy crap needs to be done, but he’s cool with it. He settles down on his bed when his dad appears at his door.

“Where’s Derek?” His dad doesn’t sound as suspicious as he should, just curious.

“Out, I think he said something about looking for a place to stay.” Stiles lets the lie flow easily, barely feeling any guilt.

His dad nods, and looks pleased with the news. “Well I’m heading out for the nightshift. See you in the morning.”

Stiles waves his dad goodbye, and settles down for a few hours of Skyrim. There’s a knock at the door, he groans and gets up. Running downstairs he prays it isn’t Jackson again, who had been looking oddly scared today. He pulls open the front door and slams it shut again.

Peter Hale is sanding on his porch. Creepy Uncle Peter who turned his former best friend into a werewolf. Why the hell is he here? Is he after Derek, or Stiles? Oh god, and it’s the full moon.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna die.” Stiles sounds more disappointed than scared, like his death is just an everyday inconvenience.

There’s a chuckle from the other side of the door. “I’m not going to kill you Stiles. Can’t go upsetting my nephew.”

He rolls his eyes. “What the hell do you want?”

He can almost hear Peter pouting. “Family visit. Derek and I need to catch up.”

Stiles scoffs and pulls open the door to face Peter; no sign of any self preservation, “Well he’s not here. And shouldn’t you already know that, with your wolf nose?”

Peter frowns, “His smell is strongest here.”

Stiles lets his mouth hang agape, “Wow, I really over estimated wolf powers.”

Peter clearly isn’t listening, “Why isn’t he here?”

Stiles crosses his arms over his chest, “It’s a full moon, I’m guessing he didn’t want to maim me or anything.”

Peter now looks confused, which is an odd look since Peter seems to always know everything. “Derek’s never had trouble controlling himself on the full moon. He has an anchor.”

“Yeah , well maybe that anchor isn’t working anymore. I mean how can he always use anger as an anchor? He would always have to be angry and like focus on being angry. That must suck no wonder he frowns a lot.”

Peter is staring at him like he just said something important. “Derek’s anchor is anger?”

Stiles nods. Did Peter not know that?

Then the creepy alpha is smirking with far too much delight. “It all makes sense now.”

Stiles gulps and steps back further into his house. “How does it make sense? Because you’re smiling evilly and that means you probably have some plan that will amuse you greatly.”

Peter just continues with the creepy grinning, “Anger was his anchor. But you. You don’t make him angry. You make him _happy._ You’ve unanchored him.”

Stiles can feel his heart beating for 2 reasons. 1. Peter is a creepy alpha werewolf who looks like he’s plotting and 2. He unanchors Derek; he is capable of making the grumpy werewolf lose his control.

Peter steps towards him. “Now Stiles, I just need to test a theory.” The man steps closer, eyes glowing red and fangs growing at an alarming rate. With a flick of his hands, sharp claws appear and are reaching towards Stiles. This is how Stiles is going to die; at the hands of his friend’s creepy uncle. His heart is hammering so loudly it’s almost deafening to himself.

Then out of nowhere, Derek bursts through the front door, knocking Peter to the ground, and crouching in front of Stiles. He’s wolfed out, blue eyes shining, fangs snarling and ears pointing (which really amuses Stiles.)

Derek is roaring at Peter, it’s actually quite terrifying. Stiles watches carefully as Peter pulls himself to his feet. The alpha is smirking slyly, which really unsettles Stiles. “Nice to see you Derek. Now, quick question, do you remember what your mother told you about mates?”

Derek perks up, and nods cautiously.

Peter steps forward holding his hands out in a non threatening gesture. “So you remember how she said that your mate is who you would protect with your life as they would for you. And that you could never bear to be without them,” his voice drops to a serious hushed tone, “ _especially on the full moon._ ”

Stiles watches Derek’s ears twitch as he processes the information. Stiles’ heart is beating way to fast. Mate? He can’t be Derek’s mate. He’s just Stiles, hyperactive, awkward and fragile human Stiles. He reaches a hand out and grips Derek’s shoulder, reassuringly. He _feels_ Derek morph back into human form.

The werewolf stands to his feet to face his uncle; The Frown of Doom on his face.  Stiles doesn’t know whether to be scared of Derek’s pissed off human face or Peter still smiling like the smug bastard he is. He steps back towards the stairs, trying to avoid the imminent fight. But it never comes.

Peter just straightens his jacket and walks calmly and sits himself down at the dining table. _What the hell just happened?_ Peter grins up at his nephew. “So, do you know why the Alpha pack is in town?”

A low rumble rolls through Derek’s chest. “They want The Animus. It’s here and they want it.”

Peter arches a brow. “The Animus? As in, all powerful weapon of legend?”

Stiles shudders, he hates being referred to as a thing; especially a weapon. Derek seems uncomfortable with it as well.

“Yes.” Derek mutters.

Peter claps his hands together, “Then let’s go get it and destroy it.”

“NO!” Derek’s roar shakes the house.

Everyone falls silent, and Derek is looking full of regret.

Peter stands and steps toward Derek, “You know where it is. You seem to think it’s important. Derek, where is it.”

Derek clenches his jaw and stays silent; glaring down at his uncle.

“WHERE IS IT!?” The Alpha roars, the strength of it hitting his soul. Derek falls to his knees, hands determinedly covering his ears. He pulls himself to his feet, shaking, and clenches his fists.

“I’m not telling you.” Derek growls.

Peter’s eyebrows shoot up, “You care about it.”

Derek’s eyes flash blue, “He’s not an _it._ ”

The Alpha pauses, clearly stumped by this new information. He glances at Stiles eyeing him thoughtfully. Peter’s eyebrows jump up at realisation.

“Oh, this is an interesting turn of events.” Peter is stepping towards Stiles, Derek’s growling gets louder as he stands between them.

“This human, this normal boy is the most powerful magical weapon in existence. This is ingenious.”

Derek snarls and bites the air in a murderous threat. Peter holds up his hands in defence and calmly walks out of the house. At the click of the front door, Derek spins around and grips Stiles shoulders firmly, searching his face in a flash of concern.

Stiles blinks several times and stares up into Derek’s electric blue eyes. The wolf pulls him close and nuzzles into the crook of his neck. Stiles breaths out a laugh at the sound of Derek sniffing him. Derek is gripping his sleeves a little desperately, and Stiles finally gets it.

“Hey, I’m okay,” Stiles soothes, running a hand through Derek’s hair, “I’m okay, I’m not hurt, everything’s fine.”

Derek shakes his head, “Peter knows what you are. He’ll tell Deucalion, It’s my fault.”

Stiles frowns, “Dude, this isn’t your fault. And I don’t think Peter will tell him, he still seems to want me in his pack.”

Derek growls and looks up at Stiles. “Mine.”

He shivers, oh god that was... well it was something alright. “Hey, how did you know I was in trouble?”

Derek stares at his feet, “I was on the roof.”

Stiles laughs, “You creeper! But um... you know, thanks for watching out for me and stuff.”

Derek smiles, but stops. His whole body shudders and Stiles watches, entranced, as Derek wolfs out. Stiles will probably never be quite used to the whole growing claws, fangs and surprise sideburns but it doesn’t scare him anymore.

Suddenly Derek’s blue eyes are staring at him intensely, and he’s moving towards him. Stiles backs away and slams into the wall. Derek furrows his brows (although his eyebrows have mysteriously vanished as he is in wolf form) in concern. How can Derek be wolfed out and concerned?

The man is immediately in front of him and gently running his clawed hands over Stiles’ arms. Then out of nowhere he picks him up and places him on his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.

Stiles swings his arms around and lightly hits at Derek’s back, “Hey! Put me down! Bad Derek. Stiles human, not toy.”

Derek huffs and carries him upstairs, and this does not bode well for Stiles. He’s going to be kidnapped by a possessive werewolf and the only person who will care will be his father. Damn he can’t go missing; his dad would be worried sick. Maybe Derek will just wrap him up in a blanket den and stand guard, yeah that sounds like a Derek thing to do.

Derek reaches his room and places him down gently on his bed. Stiles scampers back, just in case, and stares up at the wolf. Derek lowers himself onto the bed and crawls slowly towards Stiles. He looks lost and sad, and Stiles wants to cry. He stays still as Derek curls up around him, trying to protect him with his whole body.

“You could’ve died. You still could die.” Derek is whimpering, _fucking whimpering._

Stiles stays quiet, which is new, because honestly what can he say? Derek’s right, and that is terrifying. He could die, and not in the normal; get hit by a car way, no but in the; being ripped to shreds by many werewolves way. He takes a shaky breath.

“I’m okay now though, right? That’s good, and that’s what matters. I could’ve been far worse by this point, but I’m still in one piece.” Stiles smiles wryly.

Derek frowns, “You’re still in danger though. You shouldn’t be in danger. You shouldn’t even be involved in his.”

Stiles sits up, “First of all; don’t you _dare_ feel guilty about this. Second of all; I chose this myself, I walked into this of my own volition. And lastly; it wouldn’t have mattered anyway since I’m like the magical chosen one.”

Derek’s pouting at him, hi fangs sticking out a little. Stiles rolls his eyes and laughs. He grabs Derek’s hand and squeezes it in reassurance. He gasps as Derek’s face slowly fades back into its human shape.

The sound of a car parking catches both of their attention. Stiles jumps from his bed and peers out the window. The police cruiser is parked in the driveway and his dad is walking up to the front door, a few bags in his hands.

“Stiles, Derek, Dinner!”

They both scamper downstairs, and Stiles glares at the Chinese take out on the bench.

“Dad, what have I told you? You know Chinese is bad for you.” Stiles crosses his arms to assert his authority.

The Sheriff just rolls his eyes, “I just wanted to save you from cooking for 3 people, okay?”

Stiles squints in suspicion, “Suuuuuure.”

Derek snorts from behind him.

They all sit down at the dining table to have dinner. It’s all nice and peaceful and then his dad decides to go into interrogation mode.

“So Derek,” his dad starts conversationally, “what do you do for a living?”

Derek tenses for a moment, the question a bit of a surprise, “Well I um. I only came to Beacon Hills looking for my sister when she was missing. I had a job in New York, worked in a bookstore. But I’m living off of inheritance money at the moment. I didn’t plan to stay here.”

Stiles eyes his dad, and feels relief when he only sees surprise and curiosity.

“What made you stay?” The Sheriff is looking genuinely interested. Stiles pauses for a moment, because that is a good question. Derek could’ve high tailed it back to New York any time.

“My Uncle is in town and we’ve had some catching up to do. And I couldn’t just leave Stiles to wreak havoc, now could I?”

Stiles holds a hand to his heart in mock offence. “Rude.”

His dad is laughing, and that warms Stiles’ heart.

“That reminds me. How did someone like you become friends with Stiles? I know from personal experience that he’s a handful, doesn’t sound like your kind of person.”

Stiles waves a hand, “Right here.” His dad didn’t seem to care that he was talking about his son right in front of him.

“Stiles was pretty persistent in becoming friends. And turns out we actually get along just fine. He does enough talking for the both of us.”

The Sheriff laughs and grins at Derek. Stiles wants to be offended for the whole conversation happening right in front of him, but he can’t bring himself to care, because Derek and his dad are getting along. Stiles sits back and enjoys the small happiness he’s been granted.

#

Stiles’ phone vibrates in his pocket causing Mr. Harris to glare at him.

“Mr Stilinski, although I have no idea who could possibly be close enough to text you, you need to turn off your phone or I can guarantee detention for the next week.”

Stiles grumbles and turns his phone on silent instead of actually turning it off. He glances down to see the text.

**Derek: found a place**

Stiles frowns. A place? For what?

**Stiles: what for?**

His leg bounces in anticipation for Derek’s reply. He needs to calm himself down, this crush on him is getting out of hand.

**Derek: to live in**

Stiles frowns, but then he remembers; Derek had said he was looking for a place to stay.

**Stiles: you moving out?** **L**

He actually felt a small tug at his heart. He enjoys having Derek around, and he feels safer at night knowing there’s a werewolf sleeping in his room. Derek was a comforting presence and nice eye candy.

**Derek: yeah, you upset?**

Stiles smiles sadly. He feels someone looking at him. Glancing up he sees Scott eyeing thoughtfully. He meets Scott’s eyes and his ex best friend quickly looks the other way.

**Stiles: what am i going to do without my favourite werewolf?**

**Derek: i’m not leaving dumbass, i’m just not staying the night.**

Stiles grins. Derek will still be visiting and hanging around the house, and that is the best news he’s heard on a Monday.

#

After school finishes Stiles drives to the address Derek sent him. He parks the jeep outside the apartment building, getting out he looks up at it. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s not too bad. He makes his way to the elevator and goes up to Derek’s floor.

Hands shaking he knocks on the door. Why is he nervous? Maybe it’s just the feeling of stepping into a werewolf’s den? Ha, this is now Derek’s den. Do werewolves furnish their houses like dens? He’ll have to ask.

Derek opens the door and smiles at him. Holding the door open the man steps aside to let Stiles inside. He walks into the vast emptiness of the loft. The only furniture in the place was a table a chair and a couch, but the spiral staircase left hope for more. The far wall was completely lined with windows, but was murky enough to give it a kind of curtained feel.

Stiles nods and spins back around. “Nice place.”

Derek smiles.

Stiles just can’t resist. “Is this classed as your den?”

Derek sighs, “Werewolves live in houses, just like people, Stiles. But we do sometimes arrange our beds into a sort of nest.”

Stiles smirks at him feeling very smug of this new information. “Do you guys sleep in big pack piles, were like there isn’t even a bed, just a giant blanket nest with everyone sleeping on it? Just wondering because of reasons.”

Derek gives him ‘The Look’ and doesn’t respond. The Look translates to; I’m not going to answer your question Stiles because it is just stupid and I am tired and oh my god you are hard work.

Stiles flops down on his back on the couch and stares at the dusty ceiling. He doesn’t even respond when Derek moves his legs out of the way to sit on the couch next to him. The wolf then places Stiles’ legs on top of his thighs.

Stiles wiggles his toes to prod at Derek’s torso. “You the manhandling is becoming a habit of yours.”

“It’s faster to just move you, instead of convincing you to move.”

Stiles makes a sound of indignation.  “I would do the same to you, but you and your werewolf powers make things unfair.” He crosses his arms and sulks like a toddler.

Derek runs his fingers over Stiles feet and he lets out an unmanly, high pitched squawk.

They both go silent. Derek is suppressing his laughter and Stiles is glaring.

“You’re ticklish.”

“Yeah well you have wolfsbane, I have my sensitive feet.”

#

Stiles gets home later that night, about an hour before his dad gets home. He starts cooking dinner, macaroni and cheese, because it’s simple and fucking delicious. He’s stirring the pasta as he hears the front door open. His dad walks in and scans the room.

“Where’s Derek?”

Stiles drops the wooden spoon into the pot, thrown off by the question. “He found a place.” Stiles clenches his jaw and resumes cooking. His dad sits down at the dining table and smiles up at him.

“That’s good right? He can get his life back on track. He must be lonely, losing a big family like that.”

Stiles nods and tries not to think about Derek’s past. He gets horrible second hand sadness and loss; even from just a slight mention of what happened to the werewolf. He can feel his dad looking at him.

“Stiles, do you still hang out with Scott?” It’s not an interrogation, just a concerned questioning.

“No. He, uh... he has new friends that I don’t like and he’s always hanging around with them. And he also drifted from me because he was spending all his time with Allison, and now he’s with Isaac. So, no, I don’t hang out with him anymore.”

His dad is standing now, and he looks upset; hurt almost. “Who do you hang out with at school?”

Stiles blinks back the sudden urge to cry. He hadn’t realised how alone he’s been until now; when it’s all laid out in front of him. He wipes his shaking hands on his jeans and turns around to face his dad.

“No one.”

His dad wraps him up in a hug and holds him close. They stay like that for a while and Stiles takes a small bit of comfort from it. They let go and step back.

“Is this why you’ve been hanging around Derek?”

Stiles sighs, “Well yeah dad, he’s my only friend at the moment.”

The Sheriff pauses and takes a moment to think. “Stiles, I’m not trying to be invasive, but is it more than that?”

He freezes. “No. I mean do you seriously think that someone like that would like someone like me?”

His dad’s eyebrows shoot up, “He seems to like you well enough, more than Lydia ever did.”

He rubs a hand over his face, “It doesn’t matter. It’s different for him, okay.” He so desperately wants to yell _A werewolf would never love a stupid clumsy human like me!_ But he doesn’t. He straightens his posture and walks calmly up to his room.

He closes the door behind him and slides down to the floor. He lets a few tears fall and tries to stop his hands from shaking. God he is so alone, so fucking alone. The people that pay him mind just want his homework handed in or they want to dig their claws into his shoulders. He’s lying to his dad left right and centre, and his dad believes him which makes it worse. He doesn’t even have the one guy he used to rely on; Scott is supposed to be his best friend, there through thick and thin. And his mom was taken from him, no choice involved. Everyone leaves him; they always do in the end.

He stands up on shaking legs and walks over to the window. He leans against the wall and rests his head against the cool glass, looking out into the dark night. He thinks back to all the times Derek must’ve climbed through this window. Actually, how the hell does he get onto the roof in the first place? He opens the window and peers out, staring down at the roof. The cold air freezes his tears to his face.

Fuck it, he thinks as he lifts himself up onto the window ledge. He kicks his bare feet out and sets them firmly on the roof. Holding his long arms out for balance he tiptoes across the roof looking for an access point. How the hell does Derek get up here? He loses his footing and slips, landing on his ass. He tries to scramble to his feet, but rolls off the side of the roof. This is how he is going to die, of course in a world of werewolves he dies from falling off his roof.

Except he doesn’t. He lands in a strong pair of arms. Turning his head his face is muffled in leather, and looking up he can see Derek frowning down at him.

“I have never been happier to see you frown!” Stiles cheers, clutching Derek’s arms.

Derek smiles, “You could’ve gotten yourself killed.”

Stiles gets to his feet and brushes himself off. “Very accurate analysis, but you’re missing the point. Why was I up there?”

Derek frowns, looking very confused. “Because you’re Stiles.”

He rolls his eyes and laughs, “No. Because I wanted to know how you get up there.”

Derek laughs. “I jump from the top of the jeep.”

Stiles lets his mouth hang open. “You’ve been violating my car! You’d probably kill me if I even touched the Camaro.”

Derek just smirks because smugness seems to be a Hale trait.

“Why are you even here?” Stiles quickly wipes around his eyes to hide any signs of crying.

“You’re upset.” Derek takes a step towards him.

“Well yeah, my life isn’t exactly a bucket of sunshine at the moment.”

Derek takes another step towards him, making Stiles back up against the house. “No, you are really upset. Grieving.”

Stiles searches those hazel eyes looking for any sign of mocking. But he doesn’t find any, but he does find sympathy.

“Why do you care? I’m just some annoying kid.” Stiles can feel the tears stinging the back of his eyes and he doesn’t even bother to fight it.

“You’re more than that. You’re smart, brave, loyal. You’re my-“

“Mate? Peter called me your mate. What did he mean by that?” Stiles eyes Derek curiously.

Derek sighs. “Nothing. He was just being... Peter, he didn’t mean anything by it.”

He frowns up at him, “You’re lying. I may not be a wolf, but I can tell when you’re lying. What’d he mean Derek?”

Derek looks afraid and cornered. Probably because Stiles looks slightly pissed, and if he really pisses Stiles off he could literally die.

“Mates, for werewolves, are strong romantic and spiritual bonds. It’s when two wolves connect on such a level that they spiritually connect with each other, they can feel each other’s emotions and sense them from afar. Wolves mate for life. So it’s kind of a big deal.”

Stiles stares at Derek, thinking this is all some big joke. He thinks that Derek knows about his crush on him and is mocking him for it. Derek wouldn’t do that though, but Peter would. The tears stinging his eyes free themselves and roll down his face as he trembles.

“Hey, why are you crying? What did I say?” Derek is crowding Stiles up against the house and is gingerly wiping away Stiles’ tears. Stiles is trying not to look at him, so he squeezes his eyes shut. He just keeps shaking his head unable to word his feelings right now.

“Stiles, what’s wrong? Please tell me what’s wrong. I want to help.” Derek sounds so desperate and scared and wrecked. He sounds lost.

Stiles opens his eyes and Derek is a big blur, his tears blocking his vision. He just stares at Derek wondering how he hasn’t figured it out yet. Stiles takes a shaky breath and tries to hold himself steady. He looks right into Derek’s eyes and counts to 3 before he just throws away his fear.

“You don’t know. You have no idea do you? You’re so oblivious which makes all of this even more stupidly pathetic. Jesus even your creepy ass uncle picked up on it. I’m sure his whole pack knows even the alphas know. Shit my Dad basically just questioned me on it a few minutes ago. But you. You have no clue. You’re supposed to be the one with heightened senses, so figure it out!”

Stiles goes to storm past Derek, but his shoved back into the wall of the house. He starts shaking, he’s a bit hyper aware at the moment after that huge rant.

“Figure what out?” Derek asks, sounding broken.

Stiles almost thinks about telling him, almost. Why did Derek have to be so annoyingly attractive, and have to go and care about him. Why’d he have o go and be there for him when no one else was? Why’d he have to be nice? Why did he have to go and make Stiles like him? Why’d he have to be a werewolf? _Why did this have to hurt?_

Stiles lets himself cry freely, but he’s smiling bitterly too. “Just go.”

Derek looks like Stiles hit him. Derek hold Stiles firmly against the house, pressing his whole body against him. “No.”

Stiles can barely breath, because holy shit he can feel all of Derek and he can feel his hot breath and this isn’t fair. Derek can’t go and wind him up without knowing that’s what he’s doing. He glares up at the werewolf.

He knows he shouldn’t do this. He knows it is a stupid idea but fuck it everything hurts and nothing matters anymore. He closes his eyes and focuses on his sadness. He grips it like a security blanket.  He opens his eyes ready to control whatever element his powers have chosen when he stops. Derek is stepping back. His body lose and he drops to his knees in defeat. Derek looks broken and empty and just _done._

Stiles slumps back against the house and lets himself sob. He could’ve killed Derek and Derek wasn’t going to fight back. He was just going to take it. What does he even do with that?

Stiles crawls along the ground towards Derek. He grips him by the shoulders and looks him dead in the eyes. “I was so alone. I’m still so alone. I don’t know what I’m doing and everything is spinning out of control. And I’m scared okay? I’m fucking terrified. But you’re here for me. You stayed. And despite what you think, I care. I care about you a lot. And even though this will probably get me killed I have to say it. I fucking love you. I love you, Derek fucking Hale.”

Stiles pants, and he realises what he realises what he just said. He panics and runs back inside. He runs upstairs slams the door behind him and locks his window. He dives under the duvet and hides from his problems. He screams into the blankets, the sound muffled. He screams and cries and _hurts._

#

_Derek’s sitting on his couch in his loft staring at the wall. He’s been sitting there since last night, and it’s now midday. A knock at his door startles him. He prepares himself to face Stiles after what happened yesterday. The boy had opened up so completely confessing his fears and his feelings for Derek and the werewolf was left stunned. No one had ever cared that much about him, and he also isn’t that great with emotions._

_He gets up and opens the door. He frowns at Isaac standing in the hall. Why the hell had Peter sent one of his pets?_

_Isaac looks petrified and urgent. “The alphas, they have them.”_

_“Who?”_

_“Stiles and Scott.”_

_Derek’s stomach drops. They have Stiles. They have what they want. Stiles is in the hands of a pack of alphas. This is his fault. He should have been there to protect him. He sprints past Isaac and just keeps going. He needs to find Stiles, he has to save him. He will save Stiles or he will die trying._


	5. You Have Words, So Use Them Damn It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexy Times! :)
> 
> This is my first time writing smut so don't expect perfection

Stiles groans as he lands inside the cage. He sits up and feels his ribs clicking. He hopes like hell those aren’t broken. Sitting up he looks around and spots a second cage next to him. And he gasps when he sees who’s in it.

“Scott!”

The werewolf sits up and stares at him, golden eyes wide with surprise.

“Stiles! Are you okay, did they hurt you?”

He coughs, “Yeah I’m fine, but I’ll be bruising in a few seconds. Man I envy your werewolf healing right now.”

Scott looks guilty, and he damn well should for abandoning his fragile human friend. Stiles doesn’t hate him though, he can’t hate the guy that was there for him after his mom died.

Figuring their captors won’t be back for a while Stiles decides to look for an escape. His wooden cage is empty spare him and a lot of dust. He goes to reach his hand through the gap but is stopped by some sort of force field.

“What the hell?” He frowns down at his hand.

“They got their emissary to do some magic to these cages; we won’t be leaving anytime soon.”

Stiles sighs and slumps down, trying to get comfortable. Of course right before he gets kidnapped he has to go and confess his stupid feelings for Derek. He probably scared him off. Strangely enough Stiles isn’t worrying about his life, no he’s worrying about Derek looking for him. He doesn’t want the werewolf to find his dead body; he’s lost enough people in his life. He hopes like hell they find him before his dad starts looking.

He looks over at his friend and wonders how everything went so wrong. “Hey Scott?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m happy for you. You have a pack that supports you and you have Isaac, and I just want you to know that I’m happy for you. Even if your alpha is evil and creepy.”

Scott laughs and smiles despite their situation, but then his face is somber. “Dude I’m so sorry about everything that’s happened. I wanted to spend time with you, but Peter wouldn’t let me. At first I thought you didn’t know anything and I didn’t want to drag you down with me. But looks like you were already two steps ahead of me, as usual. So are we cool?”

“Yeah we’re cool. I’d give you a bro hug, but you know we’re currently being held captive by alpha werewolves.” Stiles smirks.

“How is this our life?”

#

_Isaac claws pierce into Derek’s collar, the teenager spins him around to face him._

_“Don’t you dare go barrelling in there without a plan. You’re no good to them dead.” Isaac is pleading and only just staving off the panic he’s feeling._

_Derek reluctantly nods._

_“Besides Peter has someone you need to meet.”_

_#_

_When they reach the burnt out Hale house Peter is standing smugly on the porch with a girl standing next to him. She’s very familiar to Derek, but he’s not quite sure why._

_“Derek, you remember your little sister?” Peter’s smirking and he sounds so god damned proud of himself._

_“Cora?” Derek stares up at his younger sister. He’d though she was dead. She’s been alive this whole time and in 6 years never once stopped by. Derek feels hurt, angry and confused._

_“Heard my big bro found a mate.” She says casually, her hands in the pockets of her grey hoodie._

_Derek has the sudden urge to run off and save Stiles, but he stands his ground. “Yeah and he’s currently being held captive by the Alpha pack.”_

_Cora steps forward ready to say something but she stops. She sniffs the air, and then shoots Derek this look. “Your mate is **human**.”_

_Derek flinches. She makes the word sound like an insult, a blasphemy. He crosses his arms over his chest and frowns. “So what?”_

_Cora looks taken aback by this challenge. “So, Derek, he’s a human. We don’t trust humans, they hunt us down. Whether they’re murderous hunters or scared civilians they always hunt us down. You’re the one who told me that.”_

_Derek whimpers. “Well I was wrong. He didn’t hunt me down and he won’t. He followed me around wanting to help. He saved my life and he **cares**.”_

_Peter claps his hands together startling the Hale siblings. “As much as I enjoy these reunions, we have lives to save.”_

_#_

Stiles sits up when a woman opens the door to the dark room, sauntering over to them. Her eyes flash red and she’s grinning wickedly. The light from the doorway behind her spills into the room framing her dark skin. There’s a rhythmic tapping sound with each of her steps, Stiles looks down to see her feet are bare and her claws are long and sharp.

Scott’s thrashing about in his cage, trying to get a claw or a fang at her. Stiles flicks his eyes between both the wolves waiting for one of them start something. The woman stops in front of Stiles cage and crouches down to his level.

“We’ve got big plans for you, and we don’t even need to convince you.” Her confident leer is disconcerting.

Stiles huffs out a laugh, “My what big talk you have.” He’s enjoying the irony way too much to be healthy.

Scott halts his attempts of attack to stare at Stiles in horror. Well it’s good to know he’s not scared enough to lose his wit.

The woman rolls her eyes, and grips the sides of his cage. She pulls it with such ease, and oh my god werewolf strength just isn’t fair. She pulls him towards the door as he stares back at Scott. His friend is thrashing against his cage, probably hurting himself in the process.

“Let him go!” Scott yells. “He’s just a human, he’s innocent!”

The woman stops and turns back to face the enraged Beta. “Oh you are so ignorant. Your friend here isn’t _just_ human. And anyone who spends time with Derek Hale is definitely not innocent.”

She drags his cage out into the hall and closes the door leaving Scott alone. Stiles winces at the pained howls Scott is reverberating through the building. But then he feels a glimmer of hope, maybe Scott’s pack will hear him.

He’s distracted from his thoughts as the cage stops moving.

“I’d ask what you’re doing with me, but I already know the answer to that. And I’d ask you to let me go but that’s kind of redundant. So I’ll tell you this: you kidnapping me has pissed off a lot of people and these people are very violent, so you’ve asked for whatever happens to you.”

The woman cackles. “A pack of teenage Betas, a lousy Alpha and a lone Omega are supposed to scare me?”

Stiles shrugs, “I don’t know about you, but i think teenagers can be fucking terrifying when they want to be.”

The woman looks about ready to strangle him when the sound of a door opening distracts her. She looks up and stands to attention. A calm middle aged man walks into the room.

He is clearly blind, wearing shades and holding a cane. He’s wearing a soft sweater and a polo shirt. His lips are ever so slightly quirked into smile. He is so unassuming that he’s suspicious.

“He hasn’t been too much trouble has he Kali?” The man asks.

She crosses her arms, “Not at all. He hasn’t tried to fight back, not once. Although that mouth of his runs off.”

Stiles smiles smugly at this.

The man steps forward and is now facing him. “Hello Stiles, I am Deucalion. We will be spending quite some time together.”

He shivers at that, Deucalion just sounds so sure of himself. Kali is dismissed leaving the two of them alone. Deucalion decides to pull up a chair in front Stiles’ cage.

“So, what’s a smart teenager doing befriend Derek Hale?”

Stiles throws his hands up in exasperation. “Why does it always come back to that. Is it really that difficult to believe that we could be friends?”

Deucalion smirks, “Friends is believable. It’s the ‘more than that’ which concerns me.”

Stiles can feel his temper boiling, he was going to snap very soon. “And why is that? Huh?”

“A bond between a werewolf and a human is just so impossible it’s unnatural and goes against the nature of you both. That’s what concerns me, especially as knowing your enemy’s nature is key.”

He scrunches up his nose. Him and Derek unnatural? Damn right they’re unnatural. They shouldn’t work in anyway shape or form, but they do and that’s why it is right. That’s why it is “concerning,” because they did something that shouldn’t be possible. Deucalion knows this, and he’s scared.

But Derek only likes him as a friend. That was obvious when Stiles had stupidly word vomited up a love confession. The memory twists up Stiles gut, and it _hurts_ to remember. His ears are ringing with the abundance of emotions flooding through him. Hopelessness. Rage. Embarrassment. Pain. His head is a big gloppy mess of emotional crap.

Instead of pushing it away or ignoring it, like a normal healthy human being, he dwells in it. Stiles indulges in his emotional shitstorm focussing on every single emotion and everything that triggered it. Clenching his eyes shut he squares his jaw and focuses on the energy. The raw energy coursing through his veins.

With a loud crack and gust of wind he opens his eyes to see the cage exploding open. Splinters flying everywhere and the heavy padlock falling to the floor creating a metallic thud and leaving a dent. He grins victoriously and looks up at Deucalion. His face falls. Deucalion looks unfazed, and actually looks triumphant.

He’s about to question the odd response when he feels sharp twigs stabbing into his neck. He whips his head up and around to see the twins fastening something to his neck. He reaches up to yank it off but the thing won’t budge. Amber eyes wide he looks up at the 3 Alphas feeling defeated.

“It’s a binding collar. Powerful magic, it even trumps you. Yes you are the most powerful _weapon_ in the world, but you are not the most powerful _tool_.” Deucalion explains, holding his hands behind his back as he stands up.

Stiles tries to stand up to, but is weighted to his knees. The collar is definitely some heavy duty magic.

“Yeah I this collar is impressive. But the most powerful tool would have to be Jackson Whittemore.”

Deucalion looks unamused, and hits his cane down on the ground with a powerful thud. The motion causes Stiles to collapse forward and face plant the ground.  Wriggling helplessly he tries with all his might to regain power of his limbs.

“I’m assuming you’ve heard the legends. So we have you the Animus, the powerful weapon of raw magic helplessly bound to me, the formidable Demon Wolf. All the cast is here and the story is playing out nicely don’t you think? The rest of the story is awaiting us Stiles, the rest being me gaining extreme power and you being my loyal weapon for the rest of my fearful reign.”

Jesus, he should get together with Peter. They could have little tea parties while they speil their melodramatic rants to each other.

“Martyr.” He sputters to the floor.

Deucalion gets thrown off for a second. “Excuse me?”

“The Martyr. You’re forgetting the Martyr.”

Deucalion frowns. “What Martyr.”

Stiles feels a spark of hope in his chest. “Oh, did the big bad wolf not read his own story? There’s more to the legend, dumbass, another character. The Martyr.”

Deucalion looks pissed off to be left out on this information.

“And what does this Martyr do in the legend?”

Stiles grins smugly face still smushed up against the hard wood floor. “Why would I tell you?”

Deucalion glares, and it actually feels like Stiles might die from it. He’s tempted to shout _The end is nigh!_

With a flick of his wrist, Deucalion snaps his cane at the ground and this time whatever is in it shoots through Stiles. He feels it in his soul. His mind floods with every emotional imaginable. And his brain is a vortex of emotional contradiction. His vision is spinning and slowly tunnelling out. Somehow he manages to still think coherently in these last few moments. If Derek is the Martyr, then that means he’s going to find Stiles in whatever state Deucalion puts him in. And he may have to kill him. He could be killing Derek in a few hours. That makes him feel sick and also incredibly guilty. Derek will be the target of the universes unrelenting hatred again and it will be Stiles’ fault.

Everything is black and the sounds around him are slowly fading. His body is relaxing and not responding to his demands, and his brain has completely blanked out. He can feel himself slipping away, his grip on life slipping between his fingers.

“Derek,” he breathes out, barely even a whisper, “wherever your werewolf ass is, I’m sorry.”

#

_Derek is sitting in the back of the Camaro that Peter is driving. Cora is sitting next to him, and the other 3 Betas are taking Scott’s car, which was left outside the Hale house. Derek has his arms crossed and is frowning deeply. He’s trying not to think about the worst case scenario. As they drive past the Sheriff’s department, Derek can’t help but flinch. He doesn’t want to have to tell the Sheriff if something bad happens._

_Cora looks back at him. “You really care about this kid, don’t you?” She sounds slightly awed and disbelieving._

_Derek nods, because he doesn’t trust himself to say anything._

_The car stops outside the apartment building and Derek peers up at the brick tower. A boiling rage rumble right through him and he growls viciously. Isaac is acting the same right next to him. The boy barrels past them all and races up the stairs in a nearly feral state._

_“Isaac!” Peter roars out, but the Beta is already up on the second story._

_Derek runs after him, not sure if he’s trying to catch Isaac or search for Stiles; but probably both. He bounds up the stairs taking half the staircase in each leap. Peter and the rest of his pack are stampeding behind him, but he’s too fast for them._

_A broken and enraged howl echoes through the building sending shivers through all the wolves. Up ahead Isaac howls back, and smashes through a door somewhere. Derek speeds up and runs on all fours. He curves around a corner and finds Isaac facing the twins, who are shirtless for some unknown reason._

_Isaac growls and stands his ground, looking ready to lash out at either of them. The twins are snarling at him, but they’re not moving like they’re waiting for something. Derek runs up behind Isaac ready to back him up for whatever chaos is about to unfold._

_Peter and the rest of the pack barrel into the room, claws out and ready for war. The twins smirk at them, placing a hand on each other’s shoulder and **morphing** together. Their skin is literally merging together and becoming one. Their bones crack and shift and suddenly they are one massive werewolf._

_The pack stares at them in silent horror. But Isaac howls and runs at them, claws out and slashing at anything in front of him. The twins just hold out their hand and swat him into a wall with ease. Erica and Boyd run at him and sink their teeth into an arm each. The twins howl in pain._

_Derek backs up, this is a fight they’re going to lose. There is no way they can beat that thing, and he knows it. Derek can still hear the faint echoing of Scott’s howling. He runs over to Isaac who is still slumped on the ground. Derek nudges him, and hopes that he doesn’t get attacked from behind._

_Isaac sits up, looking dizzy. “What happened?”_

_Derek grimaces, “Not important right now. We need to go and save Scott.”_

_Isaac’s on his feet and running off down the hall. Derek follows behind him. He winces at the sounds of a wolf fight reverberating behind him. Isaac sprints off and he loses sight of the young Beta. The duet howling echoes through the hall and shakes Derek._

_“Thank god.” He breathes out and runs towards the sound._

_He barrels into a room and finds Isaac staring intensely at Scott through the bars of a wooden cage. The two wolves are looking sadly at each other._

_“What’s the cage made of?” Derek asks, scanning the prison for an escape._

_“Mountain ash. But there’s some warding magic on it too, Stiles couldn’t escape his.” Scott answers pitifully._

_Derek’s stomach swoops. “Stiles is here?”_

_Scott looks wounded by the question, “A woman took him away. I can still hear his heart but it’s very slow, he’s just down the hall.”_

_Derek fights the urge to run to Stiles with all his might. He needs to save Scott first; they need all the help they can get. Derek rubs his temples furiously. He needs an idea. Dammit this is what Stiles is good at. Derek glares at the cage furiously because it does in fact offend him._

_He can’t break the wooden bars, because they’re infused with mountain ash, and he can’t even pick up the cage and smash it against a wall. He glances down at the rusted lock and gets an idea. He holds out a clawed hand and reaches for the lock. He holds the icy metal in one hand and flicks a claw into the lock with the other. He twists his claw from side to side listening to the clicks of the lock. When the loud satisfying click snaps out of the lock he grins and snaps the padlock open. The door to the cage sways open slightly but not enough for Scott to fit through._

_Isaac is growling next to him. The young Beta stances himself and howls. His howl reverberates through the whole building, and shakes the cage. It shakes it just enough for the door to swing open. Scott tumbles out and Isaac runs to him wrapping his arms around him. Isaac holds Scott as close as he can and they’re both whimpering and mumbling words of comfort to one another._

_Sadness twists in Derek’s stomach at the sight of the two Beta’s happily reunited. He needs to find Stiles, he needs to find his....... No he wasn’t going to label Stiles with that without his permission. He runs down the hall following the faint scent of Stiles. It’s a mix of grass, hormones, Aderall and exhaustion. The scent is almost not there and that’s what’s worrying Derek the most._

_He leaps through a closed door. Through the door as in there was a nice wooden door, and now there is a nice wooden door with a Derek sized hole in it. Hunks of wood go flying everywhere, scattering on the ground in an inharmonious fashion. Whipping his head around the room is empty except for a figure sitting in the middle of the room curled in on itself. The red hoodie rings recognition through Derek and Stiles’ scent is there but it’s faint._

_Derek immediately retracts his claws and fangs. He runs to Stiles and crouches down beside him. Gripping his shoulders he shakes the boy, trying to get Stiles to looks at him._

_“Stiles! Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He scans his body as he asks. Lifting up Stiles’ shirt to look for wounds._

_He tips Stiles’ head back and gasps. Stiles’ eyes are white, no black pupil no golden amber irises, just pure white. And they’re looking right at him. Stiles gets to his feet and hovers, looking down at Derek with a blank yet sinister face._

_“It’s quite clever isn’t it?”_

_Deucalion steps into the room, casually tapping his cane as he does so. He stops so he’s a good 20 feet away from Derek._

_“Hiding so much power in such a fragile looking thing.”_

_Derek growls. “He’s not a thing.”_

_Deucalion smirks, “He’s no your mate either, but that’s what you want isn’t it? It’s quite tragic really, all you had to do was use your words.”_

_Derek growls, leaping into an attacking stance, “Let him go.”_

_“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Run along Derek, leave and let everyone else die for you, it’s what you do best after all. Or you can stay here and fight Stiles, but I don’t think you’ll do that.”_

_Derek flinches at the harsh words, but stands his ground. “I’m not going anywhere.”_

_Deucalion shrugs, “Your choice.”_

_The man smacks the ground with his cane and Stiles focuses himself on Derek. Limbs hanging loose yet strong he floats a little higher. Flexing his long fingers, Stiles harnesses all his magic. The shattered splinters of wood on the floor float into the air and aim themselves at Derek. With a click they shoot through the air and pierce 20 different points in Derek’s body._

_Ignoring the intense pain Derek notices that all the splinters missed any of his vital organs. Stiles had meant to injure him but had avoided killing him. Falling to his knees, Derek starts pulling the splinters from his body. His blood was already dripping on the floor._

_Looking up it hurts to see Stiles not as himself. It hurts to see him being used. It hurts to see him trying to kill him._

_Suddenly steam is rising through the floor boards and centring itself above Derek. The steam cloud shakes and morphs into a ball of water. Said ball of floating water curves down ties itself around Derek’s wrists and ankles. His wrists pinned behind his back. The water pulls him to his feet and then into the air. It floats him up to face Stiles, only an inch or two between them._

_Derek whips his head around trying to look anywhere but into those emotionless white eyes. They’re so still and calm and **dead**. All the things that Stiles is not. He feels a bubble of water behind his head and it holds him in place forcing him to look into the evil white abyss._

_“Look at me Derek.” Stiles’ voice is distorted and sounds like it’s coming from somewhere not inside of him._

_“Look at what you let happen to me. You weren’t there, and they found me. But that doesn’t matter anymore does it? Because now I’m powerful, more powerful than all of you. It scares you doesn’t it? Not because I could kill you, but because I don’t need you.”_

_Derek tries to ignore the venomous words, because he knows it’s not Stiles. He knows it’s Deucalion trying to hurt him. But the words hurt because they’re true._

_“You never needed me.” He rasps out._

_Stiles raise a brow, “What?”_

_Derek clears his throat, “You never needed me. I needed you. I still need you. You’re strong without me Stiles, always have been.”_

_Those white eyes flicker for a moment, a flash of amber shining through. Stiles shakes his head rights himself, his eyes shining white again._

_#_

The darkness lights up for a few seconds, and Stiles sees a blurry image.  He sees Derek looking at him; broken, hopeless and sorry.     

#

_“Pathetic.”_

_He feels water snaking up his body and around his neck, it’s circling his mouth warning him that Stiles can drown him, **will** drown him._

_“When I first discovered my powers I saved you from drowning. It only seems fitting to kill you by drowning.”_

_Stiles smirks and the water wraps around his mouth and nose blocking all air form getting in and out of his body. Derek tries to fight the magic he tries to break through the water but it won’t budge. He lets his body go lax and accepts his inevitable demise. He looks up at Stiles through his eyelashes, and tries to ignore the clenching pain in his lungs._

_Confusion flickers across Stiles face. “You’re not fighting back.”_

_#_

_Just as Derek thinks death is taking him, he gets tackled to the ground, the water holding him slipping and splashing on the ground. He looks up and sees his Uncle looking down at him._

_“Aren’t you supposed to holding off the rest of the pack?”_

_“You’re welcome.” Peter grimaces and leaps to his feet._

_The rest of his little pack bursts into the room. All of them in different states of bruised and bloody. They all get ready to attack, but then they see the threat. They all stare up at Stiles in shock._

_“You really overlooked him didn’t you?” Deucalion smirks from his chair on the opposite side of the room._

_Cora growls and runs at him, only to be thrown back by a wall of electricity. She tumbles to the ground and is forced back into human form. Erica and Boyd rush to her side, and the rest of the pack howls angrily at Deucalion._

_The man merrily whistles and the giant monster that is the twins morphed form smashes through the wall to their left. Deucalion sighs, sounding bored._

_“This is all so barbaric.”_

_The twins bound towards the pack and chaos unfolds. Derek leaps out of the way and stays crouched below Stiles, both protecting him and making sure he doesn’t lash out at anyone._

_Isaac gets cocky and rolls up his sleeves running at the twins. He leaps into the air and sinks his claws into the twins side, slicing through their skin as he falls down to the ground. He gets a bicep to the face and is sent flying into the wall with crack. Scott runs towards him to access his injuries._

_Cora is left to heal up against the wall. Erica and Boyd work together to distract and attack the twins. They continue to this dance and walls get smashed in the process._

_Derek is still looking around helplessly, and catches Peter’s eye. Peter runs over to him._

_“Please tell me there is a cure to Stiles’ unfortunate problem?”_

_Derek shakes his head, “Deucalion is controlling him. But he did almost snap out of it at one point.”_

_Peter looks at him expectantly, “How? What did you do?”_

_Derek feels uncomfortable and grimaces, “He was trying to get inside my head and mess with my weaknesses and he said he didn’t need me. I told him he was right, and said that I needed him.”_

_Peter looks shocked and also slightly accusing. “Are you kidding me?”_

_“What no-“_

_“You need to tell him. Derek, tell Stiles how you feel.”_

_Derek frowns, “I think now is hardly the time for that Peter!”_

_Peter rolls his eyes, “I may be cold hearted and occupationally evil, but even I can’t deny the raw unbeatable power of **human love**.”_

_Derek clenches his fists and nods._

_Suddenly arrows pierce through the windows into the room sending sparks and blinding white light everywhere. All the wolves drop to the ground and cover their eyes. Derek blindly crawls towards Stiles who is still holding up the electrical wall and sending random objects flying through the air in a chaotic vortex._

_Two people, wearing all black, flip into the room armed with guns and crossbows. Derek recognises Chris and Allison Argent. They ambush the twins and the sound of gun fire joins the violent symphony._

_“Regretting breaking up with that badass?” Erica calls over to Scott._

_Derek blocks out everything and looks up at Stiles._

_“Stiles!”_

_Those horrible white eyes are looking down at him. Stiles floats down to the ground and stands firmly, glaring down at Derek._

_“Just hear me out okay? I’m not good with words.”_

_Those white eyes flicker. The ghost of a smile appearing on Stiles’ lips._

_“I need you. I’d be dead without you and I owe you so much. You gave me a home when I had nowhere to go. You helped me even when I refused your help. You put yourself in danger for me. You’re hyper active and you talk too much and you have no sense of self preservation, but that’s why...That’s why I love you. Okay I said it! I love you Stiles! I love you and it fucking hurts, it’s killing me but I don’t care. I don’t care that you’re not a wolf, because you’re you. Just you. Please Stiles. Please be you again. Please.”_

_Derek stands up on shaking legs and grips Stiles’ shoulders. He stares intently into those white eyes as they flicker and stutter and fight themselves. Stiles slumps against him as his legs give out. Derek digs his fingers into that stupid red hoodie, and buries his face in the crook of Stiles neck. He lowers them both to the floor and just holds Stiles. His Stiles._

#

The darkness still holds him but those words. Those words, said by Derek. ‘ _I love you and it fucking hurts’_ go straight to his heart and tugs. ‘ _I don’t care that you’re not a wolf because you’re you’_ twists his stomach into a billion knots. ‘ _I need you’ ‘I owe you so much’ grips his soul tight. ‘I love you Stiles!’_ pulls him back.

He feels his body fall into Derek. He feels Derek nuzzling his neck and breathing in his scent. Everything is still black but he can feel Derek. He feels safe. He feels _home._ They fall to their knees, and Stiles tries to gain control of his limbs. He wiggles his toes and fingers first. He grips Derek’s leather jacket and feels the wolf flinch at the touch. Derek buries Stiles even further into his embrace.

Stiles blinks a couple of times and opens his eyes to see Peter’s pack fighting off the giant monster that is the twins. He also sees Alison and her father helping out. He shakes his head, he’s too tired to be dealing with all this shit.

He turns his attention back to Derek. “If I had known all it took was me trying to kill you, I would’ve done that sooner.”

Derek shakes with laughter. Then he tenses and is very still. The sound of flesh ripping and then everyone falling silent unnerves Stiles. He peers over his shoulder to see Peter grinning victoriously and Deucalion’s body on the ground.

Peter looks at everyone innocently. “What? He wasn’t paying attention.”

#

They get back to the Hale house and everyone calls a truce. Stiles and Derek agree to being a part of Peter’s pack but not to accepting Peter as their Alpha. Cora introduces herself to Stiles with a “My brother’s got good taste.” Boyd and Erica are out in the woods alone, healing together. Scott and Isaac are piled on top of each other on the couch and are taking a nap. Cora is wandering around the house lost in nostalgia. Peter is sitting on the staircase probably plotting something.

And Stiles and Derek? They’re upstairs in Derek’s old room lying on the salvaged bed.

Stiles is lying on his back and Derek is curled around him, arms snaked around his waist. Stiles had been asleep since they got home and was only waking up now. He looks down at the wolf cuddled up to him and smirks. Stiles runs his hands up and down Derek’s side.

The wolf looks up at him and has a strong want in his eyes. Derek leans up and gently kisses Stiles, his lips gentle and soft, his stubble scratching lightly against his cheek. Stiles kisses back a little harder a little more desperate opening his mouth and, oh, that’s Derek’s tongue. Stiles moans and licks into Derek’s mouth too.

It’s so desperate and hot and oh Stiles has been missing out on this.

Derek has his hands gripping at the base of Stiles’ neck, clawing for purchase. Derek moves on top of him and is now straddling his hips. That sight send s a jolt of arousal through Stiles and now his dick has decided to join in.

Derek is growling low in his throat and that is really making Stiles’ jeans feel too tight. Derek grinds down against Stiles and licks up his neck. Stiles claws at Derek’s back, fisting his black shirt into bunches.

He bucks his hips up and whines, the friction is so fucking good and he needs more. He ruts his hips up inelegantly with no semblance of a rhythm, desperately trying to find contact. Derek puts hand firmly on his hips to hold him still and shit that actually turns him on more.

Derek nips at his neck and that sets his skin ablaze. He pushes Derek’s shirt up and over his head. Derek literally rips off Stiles shirt and flings the shredded fabric to the floor. Stiles fumbles with Derek’s belt and Derek is already pulling Stiles jeans down.

Stiles gets a hand into Derek’s pants and grabs his dick. And wow Derek is hard. Hard for him, Stiles, Stiles did that. It’s safe to say there is no blood left in his brain. He starts a steady rhythm and flicks his wrist bit, and he still can’t believe he’s giving Derek fucking Hale a handjob.

Derek’s moaning and growling at the same time and Christ that is just fucking sexy. Derek rucks jeans down and kicks them off, but first grabs something out of his pocket. A condom. Of course Derek has an emergency condom, he is after all the kind of guy that people try to jump on sight.

“Prepared for anything, I see?” Stiles breathes out with a laugh.

“Shut up.” But Derek’s smiling.

Stiles watches as Derek rolls the condom over his quite impressively sized dick. He moans at the sight because he’s a 16 year old virgin and he’s not sure whether that makes this better or worse, and quite frankly he doesn’t care.

Derek also conveniently has some lube. He’s already making quick work of Stiles’ entrance, and oh my god it is so much better when someone else does it. Derek’s fingers are long and slender and they feel so good. Stiles is writhing and he feels so full and his body is tingling with pleasure. Derek pulls his fingers out and Stiles whines in the most dignifying way possible.

“Shhh.” Derek coos and leans over him, staring right at him with those intense hazel eyes, he flashes them blue and Stiles groans.

Derek smiles and leans down to nip at his collar bone. Derek mumbles soothing words as he slowly pushes in and Stiles so isn’t prepared. He probably never would be prepared because that is Derek’s dick inside of him. Derek stays still for a minute letting Stiles adjust.

But Stiles gets inpatient, he starts grinding his ass back trying to get Derek to move. Derek takes the hint and pulls half way out before pushing all the way back in slowly and hitting Stiles’ prostate square on, and he lets out a strangled moan.

Derek sets up a quick pace and brackets Stiles head with his arms. His forehead is resting on Stiles chest and he starts talking and oh god this is going to be over fast.

“You have no idea what you do to me. Look so good, writhing and panting. And those _sounds_ , those filthy sounds you make they do things to me Stiles. You do things to me.

Who would’ve guessed that Derek is talker when it comes to sex? But then again who would’ve guessed sex leaves Stiles speechless?

Derek’s rhythm is getting sloppy and Stiles is arching off the bed.  Stiles is so close but he can hardly form words to warn Derek so he just writhes with his mouth hanging open. Derek reaches a hand down in between them and starts jerking Stiles off.

He comes with a loud “ _Derek._ ” But Derek clamps a hand over his mouth. And then Derek is coming too and they’re both a sweaty wrecked mess.

Stiles would get up to clean himself up, but he’s so wrecked, so he just kind of rubs his cum off of himself. Derek collapses on top of him, and he still hasn’t pulled out. They’re both to blissed out to care. Derek wraps his arms around him and holds him tight.

“That was the best first time ever.” Stiles breathes out.

Derek huffs out a laugh, “That was your only first time ever, dumbass.”

Stiles grins, “Exactly.” And then he’s drifting off to sleep.

#

A few nights later Stiles is standing in front of his mirror smoothing down his suit. He’s wearing black slacks, a nice cobalt blue dress shirt, and a black suit jacket. He stares at the colour of the shirt and it reminds him of Derek’s wolfed out eyes.

He sighs and shakes out his limbs.

“Who’s the lucky girl? Or guy?” His dad asks from the doorway.

They’d sat down and had the conversation about how Stiles plays for both teams. It had gone well, barely awkward at all. But Stiles has yet to tell his dad about his relationship with Derek. He mainly hasn’t told him because him and Derek haven’t really labelled what they are yet. Stiles doesn’t know what they are. Forced together by legend? Some weird human/werewolf trope? The ironic relationship of little red riding hood and the big bad wolf? Honestly he has no clue.

“I’m going stag.” Stiles huffs out sadly.

It’s the winter formal and Stiles isn’t going with anyone. He wants to go with Derek, of course he does. But he’s not sure if Derek’s okay with making what they have public. Also he’s afraid to ask. And he’s pretty sure his school has rules about not bringing people from other schools but he has no clue. And no one at school really peeked his interest. Either way Stiles is going alone.

“You’re going alone?” His dad sounded sorry for him.

“I thought stag sounded a bit less tragic.”

“I’m only asking, because there’s a certain Camaro out front.”

Stiles runs to his window and leans out. And sure enough Derek’s sleek black Camaro is parked outside his house. He bolts past his dad and runs down the steps, tripping on the last one. He pulls himself off the ground and runs to the front door yanking it open and running out to the car.

Derek is now leaning against the Camaro and smiling at him. He’s wearing a flawless black tuxedo, and is even wearing a black bowtie with it. He’s got his hands behind his back. He brings them forward to reveal a white corsage.

“You seriously got me a corsage?”

Derek’s got a shit eating grin plastered on his perfect face. “It’s a posy.”

Stiles’ mouth hangs open in disbelief. “Of fucking course you get me the flower which is also named a nosegay. You dick.”

But Stiles is grinning, he steps forward and Derek slips the white posy into his button hole.

Stiles spins around knowing his dad is watching them. He grins at his father.

“Look dad, he even got me a corsage.”

His dad just shakes his head laughing, “Have fun you two.” He waves them off.

#

They’ve spent the last half an hour dancing, drinking punch and occasionally talking to random pack members. Erica and Boyd are making out in a corner. Isaac and Scott are dancing and smiling like idiots. Cora is chatting to some random guy on the lacrosse team. Lydia and Allison are drinking punch and laughing together. And Jackson is sulking at a table all by himself, and oh how that is sweet justice.

Stiles is also pretty sure Peter is lurking around keeping an eye on his pack, but he’s trying not to think about that. Because he’s got a handsome man in front of him, swaying along to a slow song.

Derek’s hands are on his waist and Stiles has his resting around Derek’s neck. Derek has his head resting on Stiles’ shoulder and he’s humming contentedly. Stiles’ heart feels warm and he feels light and happy and everything just feels good for once.

“Everything turned out alright in the end didn’t it?”

Derek makes some sound of agreement, and nuzzles into his neck, sniffing him, and rubbing his stubble against his skin tickling him.

Stiles laughs, “Are you scenting me?”

Derek looks down at his feet, embarrassed, “Yes.”

Stiles grins, “Why?”

Derek glares playfully at him, “It’s what wolves do to their mates.”

Stiles’ breath hitches, “A-am I y-your mate?”

Derek’s cheeks flush pink, “My wolf wants you to be. I want you to be. But only if you want it too.”

“Yes! I mean of course I want to why wouldn’t I? I mean look at you, you’re handsome and brave and-”

Derek’s mouth was on his and kissing him passionately. Stiles closed his eyes and kissed back, running his fingers through Derek’s hair. He pulled back and looked up at Derek’s eyes which were a vibrant blue.

Stiles would warn him that they’re in public and that he shouldn’t wolf out here. But he knows, he just knows, that those eyes are Derek being happy. And Stiles is willing to risk it for Derek being happy. They’re both happy. Just this once everyone is happy.

Just this once in Stiles’ messed up life; everything is supernatural and nothing hurts.

Stiles looks up at Derek and thinks; this is him, the big bad wolf. He’s not big and bad he was just lonely and brooding. He didn’t stalk little red riding hood through the woods in fact it was the other way around. And they shouldn’t have gotten along, they really shouldn’t have, but little red riding hood never did what he was supposed to do. Their story is jumbled and not at all how it is originally told, but that doesn’t make it wrong, it just makes it special.

“What are you thinking about?” Derek eyes him curiously.

“Just how much we broke the fairytale rules.” Stiles grins smugly.

Derek frowned, “I’m not the big bad wolf.”

“No, you’re more the stubbly broody wolf, but my point still stands.”

“But you are little red riding hood.”

Stiles glares at him playfully.

Derek grins, “You’re an idiot.”

Stiles kiss him softly, just the barely there brush of lips like a near miss collision.

“But I’m your idiot.”

 

 

The End.

 

 

 

 


End file.
